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VISIONS Or TIE BEYOND, 



SEER OE TO-DAT; 



OB, 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS FROM THE 
HIGHER LIFE. 



EDITED BY 

HERMAN SNOW. 







BOSTON: 
COLBY & RICH, PUBLISHERS, 

9 MONTGOMEBY PLACE. 

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. : HERMAN SNOW 
319 Kearney Stbeet. 

1877. 






^v* 



COPYEIQHT, 

18T7, 

By HERMAN SNOW. 



Stereotyped and Printed by 

Rand, Avery, and Company, 

117 Franklin Street, 

Boston. 



DEAR ONES 



CJje Beautiful Bescttfe, 



THESE PAGES ARE 



AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 



PBEFACE. 



As will be seen at a glance, these pages have been prepared from 
the standpoint of modern Spiritualism. Perhaps, also, it will be 
conceded that some of the thoughts conveyed are of a peculiarly- 
interesting and novel character even to Spiritualists. So at least 
it appeared to the editor himself, when these significant visions 
were first imparted to him; and that notwithstanding his more 
than twenty-five years of earnest attention to the methods and 
matter of spirit-communications. And this encourages him to 
hope that Spiritualists generally will here find much of especial 
interest. 

It is also to be hoped that this volume will obtain circulation to 
some extent among the more liberal and spiritual of the Christian 
churches ; for, if such open-minded and earnest seekers after high 
spiritual truth will but faithfully look through the contents of 
these pages, they cannot fail to find many highly instructive les- 
sons, — lessons eminently fitted to lay hold upon and elevate indi- 
vidual character. And this, after all, is the main point of impor- 
tance. And so, even if the leading claim as to the source of these 
truths should fail to be recognized by the reader, the truths them- 
selves still remain to be intuitively received and appropriated. 

But to most of those into whose hands this volume will naturally 
fall, its high truths and beautiful imagery will carry with them 
additional value from a hearty sympathy with the basic doctrine 
upon which they rest: viz., that the spirit-world is not 

" The undiscovered country, from whose bourn 
No traveler returns," — 

but is all around us ; its happy denizens often speaking to us, and 

5 



6 PREFACE. 

its silent and mysterious conditions ever interblending with those 
of our own life. And further: that at certain favorable points of 
contact between the two worlds, — or, in other words, through cer- 
tain highly gifted human organisms, — many of the impressive 
peculiarities of the spirit-life can be explored, and the results be 
brought down to the knowledge and use of our earthly humanity. 

And thus it is claimed to be in the present instance. What is 
given in these pages was mostly received through the organism of 
one whose normal life was far from being marked with extraordi- 
nary results or claims; but whose abnormal or spirit-condition 
was productive of a depth of thought, and a richness of imagery, 
not often surpassed in the annals of mediumistic seership. 

The sole credit in the matter, to which the present writer and 
editor is entitled, is that of having acted as a faithful reporter, — 
he having done his best to write out condensed abstracts of what 
was imparted through the seer, giving the words so far as this was 
possible, but the ideas always. 

That these abstracts do but imperfect justice to the beauty and 
power of the visions as originally given, is a fact of which the 
writer is most regretfully conscious ; but at the same time, he is 
confident that what he is now able to present fully justifies him in 
the measures taken to lay open his treasures to the public, with 
such incidental and explanatory matter as he himself has felt 
called upon to give. H. S. 

San Feancisco, July, 1877. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGB 

CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTORY, BY THE EDITOR. 

The Seer introduced. — The Editor : his Position and Connec- 
tion with the New Movement. — Twenty-five Years a 
Spiritualist, with Some of the Results. — The Phenome- 
nal Facts. — Extent and Difficulty of the Subject. — Cir- 
cles : their Uses and Abuses. — Some Dark Shades in 
Spiritualism. — Leading Tendencies of the Movement. — 
Method of our Se'ances 11 

CHAPTER II. 

RESURRECTIONS. 

Explanatory. — The Victim of a Railroad Accident. — Hallu- 
cination. — An Orphan cared for. — A Sleeper for Seventy- 
five Tears. — Hallucination arid Suicide. — Ten Years of 
Blank Life. — The Abodes of Children and Infants vis- 
ited. — One waiting for his " Crown of Life." — A Lit- 
tle One comforted. — A Crushed Flower restored. — A 
Group of Indian Spirits. — Intelligence and Energy res- 
urrected 40 

CHAPTER in. 

EXPLORATIONS. 

Some Spirit Homes, and what they teach. — Social Shams 
unveiled. — A Spirit-Rebuke, and its Recompense. — A 

7 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Church Gathering in Spirit-Life. — Glimpses of Hades. — 
A Child of the Colored Race: how treated. — Spirit- 
Homes, and how they are builded. — A Day of Judg- 
ment. — The Bacchanals 54 



CHAPTER IV. 

HOME SCENES. 

A Visit to Kindred in the Spirit-World. — A Blasted Life. — 
Electrical and Chemical Baths. — Effects of . Excessive 
Grief on our Spirit-Friends. — A Masonic Gathering in 
Spirit-Life. — A Hall of Diplomacy. — Visit to a School 
in the Spirit-World. — A Hospital for the Aged and In- 
firm of Mind. — Homes and their Significance. — Child- 
Sports and their Uses. — Homes of the Red Men. — 
Aristocracy and Caste in the Spirit-World 66 



CHAPTER V. 

SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 

A Love-Scene in Spirit-Life. — Prophetic Vision of a Religious 
War. — More Indian Life in the Spheres. — In Hades 
preaching. — A Pleasant and Instructive Episode. — Love 
and its Relations Here and Hereafter. — A Zealot speaks 
upon the Subject. — Special Privilege Day 85 



CHAPTER VI. 

HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 

An Asylum for the Unfortunate. — A Refuge for Child- 
Spirits. — Are all Human Life - Germs immortal ? — 
" Ichabod." — A Clairvoyant Visit to Earthly Kindred. — 
Our Spirit Friends forming Acquaintanceship. — Silent 
Seances, and why. — A Health Institution for Boys. — 
A Mystic River, and its Uses 105 



CONTENTS. 9 

PAGE 

CHAPTER VH. 

A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 

The Three Pilgrims. — The Love Tyrant and his Victim. — 
A "War Helper, and how it fares with him in the Spirit- 
World. — A Grand Vision of the Peace Movement. — An 
Earthly Monarch in Spirit-Life. — The Hermit Fanatic. . . 121 

CHAPTER VLTI. 

SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 

Human Life-Germs, Natural and Spiritual. — Life-Centers 
and the Laws of Spiritual Growth. — A Fallen Woman 
redeemed. — A Fountain of Liquid Pearls. — A Religious 
Fanatic : how treated. — A Temple of Ambition, and its 
Overthrow. — A Gala-Day for Children 136 

CHAPTER IX. 

LIGHTS AND SHADES OF THE SPLRrT-LIFE. 

Low Forms of Savage Life. — Groups of the Grossly Sen- 
sual. — The Holiday Season: how it affects Homes in 
the Spirit World. — Still Lower Phases of Savage Life. 
An African Group and their Angel Teacher 156 

CHAPTER X. 

SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 

Electric Waters, and their Uses. — The Abodes of Justice 
and of Love visited. — Two Sisters and their Beautiful 
Work. — Extreme Exaltation. — A Personal Message of 
Wise Import. — A Rainbow of Angels' Smiles. — An 
Inspirational Speaker : how prepared. — Three Reform 
Groups : A Vision 171 



VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTORY, BY THE EDITOR. 

To those who would rightly understand and ap- 
preciate the pages of this volume, it may be desirable 
that a somewhat full explanation of the conditions 
preceding and immediately attending the receiving 
of the visions should be given. But this remark 
applies more especially to such of my readers as may 
have heretofore paid but little attention to the gen- 
eral subject in hand. I will now therefore give — 
in a somewhat free and familiar style — such of the 
facts of the case as may have a bearing, more or 
less direct, upon the object in view. 

THE SEER INTRODUCED. 

M rs. An na D. Loucks, the mediumistic seer 
through whom the most important part of this vol- 
ume was received, is a person whose life history, 
though by no means of a decidedly exceptional 
character, has yet been one of great severity of 

11 



12 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

personal suffering and discipline. The result is seen 
in a character comprising various degrees of spirit- 
ual excellence, among which a deeply religious 
conscientiousness is especially prominent. So much 
so is this the case, that she has ever manifested the 
greatest reluctance against receiving any thing like 
a pecuniary recompense for the exercise of her gifts, 
even when this has been done for special and per- 
sonal benefits ; though all the while she has stood 
much in need of such material aid. But she only 
consents, and somewhat reluctantly, to take what is 
urgently or freely offered by those conscious of ben- 
efits received. 

This lady is now a widow in delicate health, with 
none in the earthly life upon whom she can rest any 
special claims for support ; but to her there is such a 
nearness of the spirit-world and the dear ones there, 
that even a life of privation here seems to have no 
decisive terrors, if thereby she may be able to. do the 
work of her appointment. 

The exact nature of this work will appear more 
fully from the pages themselves. I will, however, 
now state briefly what is the especial commission 
under which she seems to act. It is that of a regu- 
larly organized band of wise and beneficent ones in 
the spirit-life, who, having discovered and somewhat 
perfected her singular capacity for good, have, with 
the consent and co-operation of her immediate guar- 
dian friends, taken her in charge with the purpose 
of making a wise use of the opportunity thus af- 
forded them of helping the unfortunate both in and 



INTRODUCTORY. 13 

out of the mortal form. To the wisdom and will of 
this spirit band, she devotes herself with the greatest 
sincerity of purpose, although by so doing her capa- 
city for ordinary employment of a remunerative 
character is rendered almost wholly useless ; for it is 
claimed, that, in order to be in a right condition for 
the higher work of her office, it is very important that 
she should be kept in a quiet and passive condition, 
bodily and mentally, during a large part of her time. 
In short, my own attentive observation of her con- 
dition and character for some years past makes it 
clear to my mind that nothing but the most sincere 
faith in the reality and importance of her work 
could possibly induce her to give herself to it with 
a fidelity so earnest and self-sacrificing. 

I will now add a few words in regard to this lady's 
natural and acquired mental qualifications for pro- 
ducing unaided, results like those to be found in this 
volume. She is a native of New England ; has had 
no other educational privileges than are afforded by 
the common schools of that part of the country, and 
even these were but partially improved. As to her 
reading, it certainly has not been very extended, 
especially in directions naturally leading to results 
like these. She says that she once tried Sweden- 
borg's writings, but was only able to read a few pages ; 
and could never after make up her mind to return to 
the task. 

In her normal condition, Mrs. Loucks is quiet and 
undemonstrative ; exhibiting no especially marked 
brilliancy of thought or imagination, — certainly 



14 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

nothing to justify the inference that such remark- 
able results could come from her own unaided capa- 
city. She has lived in San Francisco many years ; and 
her many friends here will doubtless readily recog- 
nize in its main features the correctness of the sketch 
I have thus given. 

THE EDITOR : HIS POSITION AND CONNECTION WITH 
THE NEW" MOVEMENT. 

I will now proceed to give some account of my 
own position, and of my connection with what I 
regard as the great reform movement of the age; 
this being in some degree desirable to enable the 
reader to give a just weight to my testimony and 
judgment in regard to the general subject now in 
hand. 

I am, then, a regularly educated Christian minister ; 
having graduated from the Theological Department 
of Harvard University, in the class of 1843. So far 
as I know, I am still in regular standing in one of the 
liberal denominations of our land : at any rate, my 
name is still, without any special agency of my own, 
retained upon the list of accredited ministers. 
Owing, however, to long-continued ill health, and 
also to my special devotion to the cause of Spiritu- 
alism, it has now been about ten years since I have 
been actively engaged in the duties of my profession. 

I have no complaint to make of the treatment I 
have received at the hands of my ministerial breth- 
ren : on the contrary, I feel that — considering the 
fact that for full twenty-five years I have been much 



INTRODUCTORY. 15 

absorbed in what to many of them has doubtless 
seemed a very unwise, almost an absurd movement, 
— I have received at least a reasonable share of 
kindness and courtesy. 

For this perhaps somewhat exceptional treatment 
in cases of the kind, I desire to return all due 
acknowledgment. Not, however, that I regard it as 
beyond what was justly my due ; for a deep per- 
sonal consciousness bears me witness, that the general 
purpose of my life has been to know and follow the 
truth, and never more so than in the specially 
absorbing efforts of my later years. 

A brief outline of my connection with modern 
Spiritualism will now be given. 

In the spring of 1852, being still in the active 
duties of the ministry, and feeling that it was but 
right for me, as a disinterested seeker after all truth, 
to look into the then novel claims of Spiritualism, as 
well as into other subjects relating closely to human 
welfare, I, with great effort, so far overcame my 
strong feelings of repulsion in that direction, as to 
turn my attention to something like an earnest 
investigation. 

Circumstances favored my purpose ; for whilst 
engaged for a few weeks in supplying a vacant pul- 
pit in Brattleboro', Vt., I found in the private family, 
then temporarily my home, the very opportunity 
which I needed. And here, after several weeks of 
the closest attention to the subject, under circum- 
stances utterly precluding the idea of fraud, or even a 
desire to mislead, what I had begun as a repulsive 



16 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

duty ended in a decided and joyous conviction that 
the leading claim of the new Spiritualism was 
founded on the truth. 

Subsequent attention to the subject steadily in- 
creased the strength of my belief. At length I came 
to the conclusion that a reasonable degree of loyalty 
to a truth of such striking and far-reaching signifi- 
cance, demanded of me some open and public 
avowal of my faith ; and none the less did this 
seem to be the case, from the fact that the truth to 
be maintained was one which — especially at that 
early stage of the movement — was generally re- 
garded as only a fit subject of contempt and ridi- 
cule. 

Within the first year of my experience, therefore, 
I prepared for the press a pamphlet entitled, " Inci- 
dents of Personal Experience whilst investigating the 
new Phenomena of Spirit Thought and Action." This 
I had printed for an entirely free circulation ; and a 
copy was sent to every minister of my denomination, 
and also to all the leading laymen whom I found it 
in my power thus to reach. 

Afterwards I combined other matter with this 
pamphlet ; and, during the year 1853, published a 
small volume, — now long since out of print, — enti- 
tled " Spirit Intercourse." 

And so on down to the present time, I have made 
it an especially prominent part of my efforts, both 
public and private, better to understand and the 
more widely to make known the great truth that 
now at length, — amid all the wonderful discoveries 



INTRODUCTORY. 17 

of the age, — the immortals of the Beyond had found 
out a way in which to convey positive intelligence to 
mortals of the earth, — a way which, although far from 
being perfected, was yet sufficiently open to allow of 
the sending of distinctly expressed messages, by tele- 
graph as it were, from the unseen world. 

In order to facilitate these ends, so important to 
my mind, for something over a year (in 1853-4) I 
kept open, in the city of Boston, a public hall and 
reading-room, to whose free use all those interested 
in the new faith were cordially invited. Voluntary 
contributions only were received in support of this 
enterprise. My own personal benefit from this ar- 
rangement consisted mainly in the opportunity thus 
afforded for a more full and satisfactory observation 
of the new phenomena, and in a mutual interchange 
of thought and experiences with the persons from all 
parts of the country who from time to time called 
upon me there. 

Having thus become closely and publicly connected 
with the new faith, it followed that ever after, wher- 
ever I went, either as a preacher or otherwise, I was 
constantly coming in contact with minds interested 
in the same direction as myself ; and, whenever this 
was the case, I was almost sure to be the recipient 
of some fresh collection of personal experiences, all of 
which, though most interesting and wonderful to the 
individuals themselves, yet to me, in due course of 
time, became somewhat monotonous and oppressive. 
Indeed, I at length became decidedly overburdened 
and surfeited with the vast accumulation of strik- 



18 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ingly significant facts ; so much so that it became 
with me an object to avoid, rather than to invite, 
such narratives of personal experience. 

This has especially been the case for about ten 
years past, during which I have kept a liberal and 
reform bookstore in San Francisco, for the more 
especial purpose of meeting the wants of intelligent 
inquirers in the direction of the new movement : a 
movement the impelling power of which is mainly 
from the unseen world, and which is not therefore 
likely soon to cease. Opposition seems to do but 
little to stay its progress ; but its course is still on- 
ward, both as to the number of its adherents and the 
wonderful variety of its manifestations. 

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS A SPIRITUALIST, WITH SOME 
OF THE RESULTS. 

In giving the above personal sketch, my aim has 
been, not only rightly to introduce myself to the read- 
er, but also to prepare the way for a somewhat full and 
frank expression of my present views in regard to 
the general character, condition, and prospects of this 
modern movement of reform, now almost universally 
known under the name of Spiritualism. I know not 
what weight is likely to be given to such an expres- 
sion ' of individual opinion from one who for more 
than twenty-five years has paid certainly an earnest 
and faithful attention to the subject. There are, how- 
ever, a few thoughts in my mind which seem to seek 
expression ; and I gladly improve the present oppor- 
tunity to give them to the public, leaving them to 



INTRODUCTORY. 19 

pass for whatever they may seem to be worth to indi- 
vidual minds. 

THE PHENOMENAL FACTS. 

And first in regard to the phenomena themselves, 
now so generally known, and of a prevalence so ex- 
tensive. It may possibly still do for those who stand 
persistently and wholly aloof, in their own self-as- 
sumed infallibility upon the subject, — scientific or 
otherwise, — not deigning even an honest attempt at 
investigation, — it may do for such to make use of 
their only weapon, and to scornfully sneer at the 
whole subject, assigning delusion and fraud as satis- 
factory explanations of the entire mass of these mod- 
ern wonders, the reality of which is now affirmed 
and defended by no small share of the integrity and 
intelligence of the community. But to one who has 
been in the very midst of the matter for a quarter of 
a century or more, receiving constantly the most posi- 
tive testimony upon the subject, not only of his own 
senses, but also from nearly all classes of persons, 
many of them of the most undoubted capacity and 
moral integrity, — to one who regards the matter from 
such a standpoint, any explanation based wholly 
upon fraud and delusion looks much more like the 
manifestation of a self-conceited obstinacy than the 
legitimate action of profound minds. 

It is not to be denied, however, that there have 
been many frauds and delusions in close connection 
with the genuine of these phenomena : strange would 
it be, were it otherwise; for almost every marked 



20 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

reality is closely followed by its shadowed falsity. 
But that, amid all the vast accumulations of such 
wonders during the past thirty years, there is an 
absolute abundance of genuine facts, is what no one 
who has faithfully followed the movement can rea- 
sonably doubt. 

And yet it is doubtless true that the fraudulent of 
these phenomena — including not only those of un- 
principled mediums, but also the dishonest trickery 
of the so-called exposers — seem now to be greatly 
on the increase ; so much so that the most strenuous 
efforts of all, especially of the true friends of Spir- 
itualism, should be put forth to correct the evil. 

EXTENT AND DIFFICULTY OF THE SUBJECT. 

The leading phenomenal facts of Spiritualism, 
then, I regard as established beyond reasonable 
doubt or cavil. But there is doubtless a wide field 
for investigation fairly included within the general 
scope of the facts. Indeed, the subject, as a whole, 
is an exceedingly extended one, leading often into 
mazes of unusual perplexity and difficulty. It can 
only be through earnest and patient effort that any 
thing like satisfaction can be reached upon some 
points of the inquiry. 

How can individual spirits be positively identified ? 
Are not most of what are generally received as tests 
in such cases imperfect as to the exact end in view, 
proving only instead that some invisible thought-read- 
ing intelligence is present with power to reflect back 
through the mediumistic capacity important facts as 



INTRODUCTORY. 21 

found in our own minds ? How far are these unseen 
intelligences of a reliable and beneficent character ? 
How far are they fitted to be our instructors ? and 
how far do they themselves need instruction at our 
hands ? What are the most prominent dangers and 
abuses of spirit-communion ? 

Questions like these open a wide field of somewhat 
perplexing thought, for any thing like a full explo- 
ration of which, volumes rather than pages would be 
required, and that by the very best of the many able 
minds now engaged in such investigations : therefore 
no attempt of the kind will now be made. The most 
I can do, under existing circumstances, is to bring 
forth to view a few of the thoughts most prominent 
in my own mind in regard to the general character 
and tendency of the Spiritualism of to-day. 

To those who have paid much attention to the sub- 
ject, it must be obvious, that, in a movement like 
this, there must be apparent upon the surface of things 
tendencies of a greatly varied character. For how 
can it be otherwise ? The world with which we are 
now in close and positive communication is made up 
of the usual varieties of character as seen here ; it be- 
ing constantly peopled, or colonized as it were, from 
our own earthly life. It is not the wise and the good 
alone that we send out from our midst over the river 
of death, but also the foolish and the false, the selfish 
and the base ; in short, every possible shade of char- 
acter that our earth has ever borne upon its bosom. 
What we call death has only to do with the modes 
of existence : it does not, it can not, work a positive 



22 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

change in the real, inward character. Of this, such 
as have had much to do in the way of communicat- 
ing with those who have just passed over to the other 
side have had abundant proof. 

CIRCLES: THEIR USES AND ABUSES. 

Here, then, we have it clearly before us : a tele- 
graphic communication, so to speak, has been opened 
between the heterogeneous masses of the world be- 
yond, and of the world in which we live. It is no 
arbitrary or partial arrangement by which this chan- 
nel of intercourse is thus laid open ; but, like all the 
action of natural law, it is freely accessible to all who 
are careful to comply with the required conditions, 
even as one would have to do in order to send a 
telegraphic communication on the earthly plane of 
action. 

Essential harmony of condition between all the 
parties concerned, visible and invisible, is one of the 
most important of these established laws of success 
in the new way of communication. Hence we may 
conclude that the moral atmosphere on the invisible 
side of a company, or circle, assembled for purposes 
of communion, is not in its immediate contact very 
much elevated above that of the company still in the 
mortal form. 

Now let us consider for a moment what the gen- 
eral tone, or actual spiritual condition, of the average 
of such circles is likely to be, — that is, so far as our 
knowledge of human nature as it is, shall guide us. 
Do we find here such conditions as would naturally 



INTRODUCTORY, 23 

bring into a near presence invisible ones especially 
fitted to impart a high order of spiritual truths ? Or 
should we not be led to expect that the prevailing in- 
fluence would be from spirits still but little above 
our earthly plane of thought and feeling? And 
would not the instructions and sympathies of such 
spirits be too nearly in harmony with our own pres- 
ent condition to allow of our being very materially 
lifted up in our real inward selves by what we might 
thus receive from them? 

It is true, that, in such cases, the mental and mor- 
al tone of the invisible is likely to be ever somewhat 
above that of the visible company. It is true also, 
that, by the action of inevitable spiritual law, a 
single aspiring breath from the assembled company 
will instantly reach a higher condition of spirit-life, 
and bring down to their aid a purer and nobler help. 

And so, with all their defects, these gathered cir- 
cles for spirit communion are wisely adapted to the 
gradual enlightenment and elevation of the mem- 
bers. But, at the same time, to look upon them as 
in any sense the constituted oracles for the an- 
nouncement of high moral truths, or for the unfold- 
ment of the principles of advanced wisdom, is 
something, of which the natural result must be dis- 
appointment. 

But there are other respects in which such circles 
are doing a most important work ; in which they are, 
indeed, the very central moving force through which 
the advance of modern Spiritualism has been such as 
to strike the world generally with astonishment, and 



24 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

the so-called religious world with dismay. It is here, 
in these very circles, — especially those of a home 
and affectional character, — that the world beyond at 
length becomes a living reality. It is through these, 
that the loved ones gone before are enabled once 
more to return, and to speak words of joyful assur- 
ance, — often with characteristics so natural and 
perfect, that a conviction of the joyful reality is so 
forced home to doubting ones, that henceforth a firm 
and unwavering faith must be theirs. 

In these circles, also, many are made to catch their 
first glimpse of the shallowness of some of the old 
religious falsities in which they have been educated, 
and in which until now they have been held in 
oppressive bondage. For although it is still true 
that the unseen ones around us, on such occasions, 
are far from being in the regions of absolute truth, 
yet there are some forms of religious error still in our 
midst, which are of so coarse a garb as to be utterly 
unable to bear the gaze of any who see with the 
spirit, not the bodily vision. 

But the great danger here to be apprehended is, 
that the result may at first prove to be only a change 
of masters, and not an absolute deliverance from 
bondage. Perhaps, however, this may be a wisely 
ordered necessity, since those who have ever been 
accustomed to lean upon the authority of others in 
matters of faith can hardly be expected to stand up 
at once, strongly self-reliant, looking only for that 
inspirational help which shall surely come to every 
aspiring soul. 



INTRODUCTORY. 25 

But, looking at this matter directly and clearly, 
there is surely no essential difference, either in the 
principle, or in the natural effect upon individual 
minds, between believing, implicitly and blindly, 
what the priest, the creed, or even the Bible, may 
teach, or in what the spirits say. This is an error, 
however, in which nearly all become more or less 
involved in their earlier experiences of Spiritualism ; 
but happily it is an error which carries with it a natu- 
ral self-correcting tendency, which the wise will not 
fail soon to discover, and to profit thereby. 

But it can not be denied that there ever has been a 
large class of believers to whom this lesson of wis- 
dom comes but slowly, if at all. It would be easy to 
give numerous instances of the inevitable downward 
tendency of those who implicitly rely upon individ- 
ual spirits for guidance, even in the minute affairs of 
daily life. Doubtless the true way for individual 
growth and strength is, thankfully to receive enlight- 
enment and advice from all quarters, — from those 
in, as well as from those out of the material body, — 
but to be blindly and positively led, by no fallible 
being whatever; a combination of our own per- 
sonal judgment and conscience, thus enlightened, 
being the final arbiter in all cases. 

SOME DAEK SHADES IN SPIRITUALISM. 

Thus far I have made use of the term " Spiritual- 
ism " as applying to all phases of the general move- 
ment. If, however, I had adhered closely to existing 
distinctions in my own mind, I should have applied* 



26 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

the word " Spiritism " to most of what has already 
been given. For Spiritualism, in its broadest, truest 
sense, is something reaching far beyond the mere 
methods and results of a personal communication with 
spirits, however important these may be in their place. 
The true Spiritualism relates mainly to the growth of 
the higher, spiritual life of the individual, and, 
through the individual, the higher growth and per- 
fection of the race. It reaches to the very center 
of man's religious nature ; and, with its powerful 
appeals and sacred sanctions, lifts him steadily up, 
and out of the sensual and selfish, into the purity, 
the wisdom, and unbounded beneficence of the high- 
er angelic life. 

But that which I have just now, for the time 
being, called Spiritism, in its ordinary influence 
upon the individual, seems not necessarily to have 
any direct and successful action toward the higher 
spiritual life. And yet many, very many, to whom 
the new truth has come, seem contented ever to re- 
main in the region of material wonders, of personal 
tests and spirit-communications. It is indeed sad 
to think how much of the so-called Spiritualism of 
to-day rises no higher than this. 

But surely something more must come, or the great 
end of the newly-opened highway between the 
earthly and the spirit kingdoms will never be reached. 
Clearly the great want, in the present stage of the 
general movement, is that Spiritualism itself should 
be spiritualized ; or in other words, that, from being 
Spiritualism in name, it should become Spiritualism 
in reality. 



INTRODUCTORY. 27 

Is this rebuke gratuitous and wholly uncalled for ? 
"Why, then, is it, that, in so large a proportion of in- 
stances, an almost wholly selfish use is made of the 
new discovery ? Why the great call for " business 
mediums," and the efforts through them to find out 
the value of stocks and the location of mines, rather 
than the value of a noble character, the location 
of the personal weaknesses and evils in the way of 
it, and the true methods of their cure? Why, in 
short, amid the throngs of those who visit mediums, 
are there not more who seek for wisdom to do good 
to humanity, rather than for that knowledge which 
will subserve only personal and selfish ends ? 

And what of the mediums themselves ? Is a pure 
and elevated character the usual result of so close a 
relation to the unseen world ? True, there are noble 
instances of this kind ; but is it not equally true that 
there are many cases of a decidedly opposite charac- 
ter ? If we have, as is certainly the case, faithful 
and aspiring ones in this class, is it not notoriously 
true also that there are many in the mediumistic 
ranks whose present tendencies seem to be downward, 
rather than upward, in the scale of true nobility of 
character ? Have we not our " fast " mediums, who, 
though they gather largely from the use of their 
gifts, are also strongly prone to scatter largely in 
the usual dissipations and frivolities of the earthly 
life ? Have we not our mercenary mediums, whose 
excessive charges debar all but the wealthy from the 
benefits of a right use of their gifts ? And have we 
not likewise our fraudulent mediums, whose sad lack 



28 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

of moral integrity readily allows of a large mingling 
of the false with the true in what they give ? 

Queries like these are aimed at a state of things 
actually existing within the ranks of Spiritualism, of 
a line so dark as to almost lead one to the conclusion 
that a permanent downward tendency is impending 
over the movement. But it must be clear, however, 
to a deep and thoughtful view of the subject, that 
this seeming degeneracy is far more apparent than 
real, it being but the natural if not necessary result 
of existing abuses which are by no means exceptional 
in the world's general history. For all great move- 
ments, especially those of a religious tendency, have 
passed through similar abuses and similar temporary 
phases of degeneration. These have come as the 
natural rebound of the very ignorance and degrada- 
tion to be removed. 

What need have we of a more perfect illustration 
of this than is found in the early history of the 
Christian religion itself? Its conflict with the per- 
versions and falsities of the age in which was its first 
advent resulted in a long-continued degeneracy, even 
down to the dark ages of the world's history, there 
to accumulate the grossest abuses of both doctrine 
and practice, from which its deliverance is by no 
means } T et fully accomplished : it had to go through 
with all this before it could, in any reasonable degree, 
do its higher work in the world. And where but in 
the Christian records, is there to be found a better 
illustration of the natural vocation of mercenary 
adherents, false prophets, and fraudulent wonder- 
workers ? 



INTR OB UCTOR Y. 29 

The truth is, that, in the present imperfect growth 
of earthly affairs, nothing of real value is without its 
adulterations and counterfeits : why, then, should we 
expect this of Spiritualism ? 

Swedenborg was doubtless a great seer, and made 
marked advances toward a right understanding of 
the relations between the two worlds. Yet it is now 
clearly to be seen that his visions were much blurred 
by the false theology of his day ; also, if no injustice 
is done him by his biographers, his personal prac- 
tices were far from being always of an exalted char- 
acter. 

So it is with mediums and seers of a later day. 
Their general condition, as to character and sur- 
roundings, still permits of various degrees of im- 
perfection and falsity, especially as to what they 
receive and impart. But the world's general ad- 
vancement is now at a stage that admits of a far 
clearer vision of advanced truths than was the case 
in Swedenborg's day. Hence, favored as we some- 
times are with seers of a similar capacity, we have 
no occasion to look back to any of the past for our 
best knowledge of things spiritual. 

LEADING TENDENCIES OP THE MOVEMENT. 

I will now proceed to notice two of the leading 
tendencies of Spiritualism, — - the two being the ex- 
tremes of the movement, between which there exists 
almost every shade of radical thought. 

One of these is made up of recruits from the schools 
of so-called infidelity and materialism. Few are prob- 



30 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ably aware of the extent of the inroads made by the 
new Spiritualistic faith in a direction apparently so 
unpromising. But probably more persons have thus 
been converted from an absolute unbelief to a joyous 
faith in an immortal existence, within the past thirty 
years, than had been done by all other agencies for 
the entire century previous. At the head of this 
class may be named Robert Owen, the great English 
materialist and socialistic leader; also Prof. Robert 
Hare of our own country. The change thus wrought 
upon this class of minds — a change which only a 
contact with direct and positive proofs of an here- 
after could possibly have wrought — must have been 
great indeed and of an extremely joyous character : 
hence they have ever manifested an active zeal in 
behalf of the cause to which they were so deeply 
indebted. But, naturally enough, with some marked 
exceptions, of which the late Robert Dale Owen is 
the chief, — these infidelistic converts to Spiritualism 
have ever taken with them into their new faith, 
much of their old antagonism to Christianity and its 
records. Indeed, in some instances, this destructive 
antagonism has assumed the form of a sweeping 
denunciation against all religions ; and, with a strange 
inconsistency, these persons become about as exclu- 
sive and bigoted in their Spiritualism as are the most 
narrow of the sects in their adherence to their creeds. 
It is from writers and speakers of this branch of 
the movement, that come those unsparing denuncia- 
tions of the Bible and Christianity, now so frequent, 
but which are of character entirely too indiscriminate 



INTRODUCTORY. 31 

t 
to carry much weight with them in candid and 

thoughtful minds. It should be borne in mind, 

however, that what this class of the exponents of 

Spiritualism have in their minds is, generally at least, 

the corrupt Christianity of the popular churches, and 

not the religion originally taught by Jesus himself. 

The other extreme of the movement is made up 
largely of persons of a reverent and religious turn of 
mind ; they having been mostly educated under the 
influence of the Christian churches, many of them, 
indeed, still retaining an actual church-membership. 
It does not necessarily follow that the reception by 
such church-members, of the faith that spirits have 
power to communicate with mortals, should, at first, 
very essentially modify their old doctrines, though 
something of the kind is sure to follow in the end. 
Therefore, for the present, this class — held by the 
force of old attachments and associations, and withal 
strongly repelled from taking a bold stand in behalf 
of the new faith by its unpopularity, and by the rough 
and destructive radicalism often attending its course 
— remain quietly in their old religious homes ; the 
new phase of their belief being, in most cases, un- 
known even to their most intimate friends. 

Of course this class of Spiritualists still look with 
a good degree of reverence to the truths of the past, 
as well as to those of the present. They still cherish 
the Bible, and the religion that rightly belongs to it ; 
though at the same time the eyes of such are already, 
in most cases, so far opened to the new light from the 
spirit-world, that they can no longer be held in a 



32 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

slavish subjection to the grosser errors of their 
church-creed. Their career has indeed fairly com- 
menced in the direction of rational and independent 
thought, — a career which can hardly fail eventually 
of leading them into the regions of a clear and joyous 
faith. 

Thus it happens that but a small proportion of the 
actual believers in Spiritualism are openly known as 
such ; and therefore it is an utter impossibility to 
make any thing like a close estimate of their num- 
bers. There is hardly a church or association in our 
land, in which there is not a large representation of 
Spiritualists, — applying the term now to those who 
are simply believers in the leading claim advanced. 
But almost invariably the belief, in such cases, is 
kept closely locked up in the secret places of the 
individual mind, on account of the penalties of reli- 
gious heresy and social ostracism ever impending 
over persons thus situated. 

Now, all this is doubtless not only weak, but unwise, 
on the part of such cowardly holders of a choice 
faith. For, had they but the frankness and boldness 
to openly declare what they secretly believe, they 
would not only vindicate their moral integrity, and 
manly and womanly nobility, but would find also 
much to surprise and rejoice them in their new posi- 
tion. They would in all probability find that, so 
far from standing alone in their belief in Spiritualism 
and in the consequent danger of social and religious 
proscription, they were in reality closely surrounded 
by many in the same condition with themselves ; 



INTRODUCTORY. 33 

some of whom might prove to be of their very best 
and most influential friends. 

What I have thus written is by no means mere 
conjecture on my part : the statement is rather that 
of positive knowledge. For it has been no uncom- 
mon thing, in my individual experience, to be myself 
the means of introducing to each other, in this respect, 
persons otherwise intimately associated in the affairs 
of life. A mutual surprise and joy were the natural 
results in such cases. 

But, besides these two extremes in Spiritualism, 
there is another of somewhat marked tendency, which 
may perhaps be regarded as the centripetal force of 
the movement. This is made up largely of religion- 
ists of a liberal, rationalistic, and radical stamp ; 
persons who, from their own independent position in 
the field of thought, are able fearlessly to seek after 
the good and the true in all directions. To this 
class, modern Spiritualism is the natural outgrowth 
of the gradual unfolding of past religions, especial- 
ly that taught by Jesus himself, the great Spiritualist 
and reformer of his own day. Between his teach- 
ings, rightly understood, — not as interpreted by 
modern Orthodoxy, — and a rational view of Spiritu- 
alism, so far from there being antagonism, there is, 
it is believed, a natural harmony, like that existing 
between the gradually ascending scale of musical 
sounds. 

Spiritualists of this class are watchful against any 
thing like narrowness in the new movement, and 
hence they are by no means desirous of seeing Spirit- 



34 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ualism compressed within party limits. They rather 
encourage its universal diffusion among the masses, 
through means peculiarly and effectually its own. 
For the truth seems to be, that this new power 
works not naturally and easily in the machinery of 
the past. So varied and individual are its tendencies 
of thought and feeling, that it can not — even if this 
were, deniable — be condensed into any thing like a 
general party movement, with well-drilled ranks and 
ambitious leaders ; but it works mainly with a quiet 
and irresistible force, in ways hitherto but little 
known. Impelling and guiding all, are unseen intel- 
ligences high in the spirit life ; who, through wisely 
appointed agencies, — seen and unseen, — are ever 
seeking for mediumistic openings through which to 
impart the new truth ; and wherever these are found, 
even though it be in the very refuge of religious 
darkness and superstition, there a ray of the new 
light is made to enter. It may shine but dimly at 
first : yet a gradual brightening must, in the nature 
of things, follow, the ultimate result of which will 
be a breaking-up of old errors, and an establishment 
of the higher truths. 

The pen and the press are also in harmony with 
the quiet action of this new power ; and the search- 
ing leaves of thought thus scattered have done much 
to increase its force. But let me not be misunder- 
stood upon this point. I do by no means condemn 
all kinds of organization in behalf of Spiritualism 
and its truths. It is doubtless well, — wherever 
there may be a decided call for this, — to organize 



INTR OD UCTOR Y. 35 

after a simple business method, in order to sustain 
and give efficiency to local societies of the faith. It 
may be well also to keep up sympathetic and frater- 
nal relations between such independent organizations 
in different parts of the country. It is only against 
the attempt so to consolidate the entire movement 
as to make it an engine of external power, so espe- 
cially liable to be urged forward on a low level, and 
even to be perverted to unworthy ends, — it is only 
against this, that, in the name of a true and elevated 
Spiritualism, I would utter my protest. 

We have no need whatever for such a combined 
party movement, even were it not for the special 
liability to abuse. For the general spread of this 
belief has ever been sufficiently rapid to satisfy the 
expectations even of the most sanguine. Never in 
the world's history has there been a faith of so rapid 
a growth. Within the space of less than thirty 
years, the number of its adherents in our own land 
has grown into millions, whilst the published matter 
upon the subject is now sufficiently large to consti- 
tute an entire library of respectable dimensions, — 
many of the works being the product of writers of 
well-known and marked ability. 

In foreign lands also, the progress has been equally 
astonishing. There is not, I think, a civilized coun- 
try upon our globe, in which are not to be found 
large numbers of intelligent believers ; and in most 
of these countries, are to be found also many volumes 
and periodicals devoted to the cause. Surely a 
progress like this, at the present advanced stage of 



36 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

the world's growth of intelligent thought, indicates 
something more than shallow pretence, or a still 
more shallow self-deception. 

It must also, I think, be apparent to thoughtful 
and sincere minds, that, — whatever of dubiousness 
and imperfection may attend its earlier career, — yet 
that the end must be some important good to the 
race ; for it does not seem to be consistent with the 
idea of a prevailing and overruling Power of perfect 
wisdom and love, that such an irresistible tidal wave 
of human thought and experience should sweep over 
us without leaving in its course that which shall 
vivify and make green the waste places of humanity. 

But the present most pressing work before Spirit- 
ualists, as already intimated, seems to be to gain a 
broader and more elevated view of the significance 
of our faith. We have need to get somewhat out of 
the region of the material phenomena into the higher 
uses of the truths we have received. 

I have faith to believe that this little volume, pre- 
pared as it has been at the especial request of the con- 
trolling intelligence of our Band, is wisely adapted 
to aid in such a work; and therefore it is that I 
gladly present it to the public, and especially to the 
true friends of Spiritualism. 

METHODS OF OTJE SEANCES. 

It may be well, before closing this chapter, to add 
a few words in regard, to the general methods of the 
seances of which the following pages contain a con 
densed report. 



INTRODUCTORY. 37 

When these seances were first commenced on my 
part, I was by no means aware of the treasures of 
high thought and beautiful imagery that were thus 
to be opened to my view. Hence, at first, I made 
but little effort to preserve the results ; and there- 
fore, as will be seen, the reports found first in order 
upon the pages following, are quite brief and unsat- 
isfying. But soon my interest became much strength- 
ened, and my reports more extended. 

I am not a short-hand writer; but having been 
much accustomed, especially during my theological 
course, to writing out comprehensive abstracts of 
what I wished to preserve, I consider myself well 
qualified for doing such work correctly. I have also, 
as I have reason to believe, a good degree of mecli- 
umistic impressibility, by means of which a guiding 
spirit-helper can guard me almost perfectly against 
important errors in cases of the kind. It was like- 
wise customary to have my reports regularly reviewed 
by the leading intelligence of our band, the seer being 
in her usual spirit- condition. Thus, with all these 
advantages, I think that the reader may feel well 
assured that in reading these condensed reports, he 
has correctly the substance of what was originally 
imparted through our seer. 

The record was originally kept in a journal form ; 
and in this same order I have thought best to pub- 
lish it, omitting dates, however, in most instances as 
unessential. The seer and myself only were present 
on these occasions ; and so sensitive was her condi- 
tion, that the utmost care was necessary on my part, 



38 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

to keep myself free from disturbing influences, and 
to have, so far as possible, my whole being in a calm 
and elevated condition. Some fifteen or twenty min- 
utes were invariably passed in this way, during which 
I myself at least had not the least foreshadowing of 
what would soon open before us, generally with 
renewed originality and beauty. 

I have reason to believe that the seer herself was 
equally unconscious of what was coming, until, in 
due time, the first unfoldings of the vision came up 
before her. So soon as these assumed a distinctly 
defined form, she would begin to describe them to 
me, in language remarkably clear and correct : it 
was not in my power to improve it in the least. It 
was a peculiarity of her condition, — shared, how- 
ever, in that of some others I have known, — that, 
even in her loftiest flights into the spirit-realm, she 
still remained consciously en rapport with myself, and 
could generally answer my questions, though often 
these seemed somewhat to jar upon her extremely 
sensitive condition. I therefore only ventured upon 
these questions when something of especial impor- 
tance needed further elucidation. Our connection at 
such times seemed much like that of a constant tele- 
graphic communication kept open between us, even 
when she was, as it were, immensely distant from me 
in spirit. 

I will not now attempt the very difficult investiga- 
tion as to how far these visions were objective and 
present realities to the seer, — I mean to her spirit- 
vision, — and how far they were subjective presenter 



INTRODUCTORY. 39 

tions of instructive truths imparted through psycho- 
logical law. It is probable, however, that the results 
now given may be partially attributed to either of 
these methods. Certainly there were instances in 
which it seemed that the seer must have been in open 
and present vision with the scenes she described. 
At some other times it appeared even as if the vision 
had been prepared in advance by the controlling 
influence, much as is a painting or panorama with us, 
and then psychologically imparted through the men- 
tal capacities of the seer. Let each reader judge for 
himself upon this as upon other points of our investi- 
gations. 



CHAPTER II. 

RESURRECTIONS. — EXPLANATORY. 

The contents of this chapter of our volume are 
of a character seriously to perplex many, even of 
those far advanced in the knowledge of the Spiritu- 
alism of to-day. At any rate, to myself, the special 
phase of mediumistic seership now to be detailed 
was new, until these cases came to my knowledge. 
From the earliest of my experiences, however, I had 
"been familiar with methods of action not wholly un- 
like these ; as in most well-ordered circles, it has 
been customary, through the mediumistic channels, 
to impart aid to the ignorant and vicious of the spirit- 
life. 

But the cases now to be given are quite different, 
especially in these important respects: the spirit- 
persons apparently helped by our band were neither 
in any special sense ignorant nor vicious, but were 
clearly of more than an average degree of intelli- 
gence and moral growth. 

The claim, briefly stated, is this : that, although the 
death of the body is generally a natural and easy 
process, yet in certain exceptional cases of quite rare 
occurrence there is a failure in this respect ; so that, 

40 



RESURRECTIONS. 41 

instead of an easy and quick passage from the earthly 
to the spirit organization, there is sometimes quite an 
extended period of torpid and unconscious existence ; 
and from this, it is claimed, a deliverance can be 
greatly hastened by a special kind of action, — brief 
specimens of which are now to be given. 

It was explained to me by the band of beneficent 
spirits having the matter especially in hand, that 
these exceptional cases to the usual easy and quick 
transition to the spirit-form are in consequence of 
some violation of natural law as to the especial man- 
ner in which the persons involved came to their 
earthly end, in what is called death. It was also 
said that there was, in the natural order of things, in 
the spirit-life, an ultimate deliverance from the prac- 
tically non-existent conditions now under considera- 
tion; but that in order to hasten the process, — 
especially with some whose natural organization and 
tendencies rendered them peculiarly promising as 
active workers in the spirit-world, — these extraor- 
dinary methods had been inaugurated and continued, 
thus far with encouraging success. 

But, whatever may be thought of the especial claim 
thus advanced, I am perfectly sure, that, to the me- 
dium herself, this restoring work in which for a long 
time previous to my joining her in it she had been 
engaged was a most significant and important reality. 
To her it had been a matter not of faith, but of 
actual sight, in the some three or four hundred in- 
stances which, as she informed me, had previously 
passed before her, and all of a character as marked 



42 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

and real as those now to be given. So deeply was 
she impressed with the reality and importance of 
her work, that she most earnestly declared that she 
had rather live in absolute want than not to do it. 

The illustrative cases from my journal will now be 
given. 

THE VICTIM OF A RAILROAD ACCIDENT. 

An unfortunate victim of a railroad accident is 
brought forward, and, by the efforts of our band of 
beneficent spirit-workers, is placed en rapport with 
the medium. For about eleven years he had been 
lingering upon the borders of the spirit-world, with- 
out being able to gain a conscious existence within 
it. He is at length sufficiently revived to gain a 
partial control of the medium's powers; and, from 
the broken words and detached sentences thus ut- 
tered, it appears that he still fancies himself to be 
amid the dreadful confusion of the accident. He 
moans over his own bruised and crippled condition, 
and inquires anxiously for his child that was with 
him at the time of the collision. 

Gradually, through the combined efforts of those 
in and out of the material form, this spirit was 
made to understand that he is already in the spirit- 
world, and entirely free from the calamity that had 
befallen him, and through which he had been forced 
out of the mortal life. 

At length a joyful consciousness of the new and 
better organism that is now his, and of the exceeding 
beauty and grandeur of the life before him, is re- 



RESURRECTIONS. 43 

vealed to his newly awakened perceptions; and he 
departs from view, rejoicing in the brightness of the 
spirit-life. 

HALLUCINATION. 

An unhappy spirit who had died bound, and in 
prison, was allowed to take control of the medium. 
He had been falsely accused of murder by designing 
villains, probably to screen themselves from justice ; 
and was offered pardon if he would confess the 
crime. This offer he still continues indignantly to 
spurn from him, while the most malignant feelings 
are exhibited toward the enemies who have wronged 
him. 

To his own consciousness he is still in his earthly 
prison-bonds. But, being now in full possession of 
the bodily organism of the medium, I was enabled 
gradually to correct his hallucination. I requested 
him to move first one hand, and then the other; and 
thus the self-indulged fiction of being bound was 
made wholly to leave him, whilst in its place, the 
conviction of being now an inhabitant of the spirit- 
world, with an active spirit-body at his full control, 
was made a part of his joyful consciousness. 

But his vindictive feeling still remains. A bright 
spirit approaches, and beckons him upwards ; but the 
vindictive feeling holds him back, until he is made 
to see that there is a self-executing law of retribu- 
tion which, in reality, renders the wrong-doer an 
object of pity rather than of revenge. Now the vin- 
dictive feeling is exchanged for one of compassion ; 
and the restored one goes upward, rejoicing in com- 



44 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

pany with the bright spirit, who seems to be his 
special guardian and guide. 

AN ORPHAN CARED FOR. 

A poor neglected child, just from the evils of the 
earthly life, is laid in the lap of the medium. A 
kind spirit presents a spray of flowers to the little 
one, whose eyes brighten with joy at the sight, thus 
proving it to be the possessor of a keen rudimental 
love of the beautiful — the sure basis of a quick un- 
folding of the little human bud of promise. 

And now the medium calls persuasively for some 
mother-spirit to adopt and train up the child in the 
brightness of the spirit-life. First, one comes look- 
ing searchingiy and longingly at the little one ; but 
it soon appears that she is not the one to whom 
the work naturally belongs. Then comes another, 
whose natural adaptation is seen at once by all; 
and the child is borne away in a happy maternal 
embrace, — the medium parting reluctantly from it, 
with a promise from the spirit-mother that in a 
year she would bring the child back, and show that 
she had faithfully fulfilled the work of a mother. 

At the close of the vision the seer expresses the 
most profound admiration and reverence, in view of 
the wise and perfect adaptation of all things in the 
spirit-life. 

A SLEEPER FOR SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS. 

Our next case is that of one who says that he has 
been asleep since the year 1800. He remembers 



RESURRECTIONS. 45 

then having gone ont in a boat, — he being seven- 
teen years of age, — of being upset, and of grad- 
ually sinking in the cold water. And this is the last 
of his consciousness until now, when, as he awakes 
in a bodily form, he is told that it is the year 1875. 
He is astonished, and can not believe it until repeat- 
edly told by other spirits ; and a final confirmation 
is given by one still in the earthly body. His aston- 
ishment is excessive and half-amusing, as he some- 
what facetiously remarks that he should now be a 
very old man if he had not been asleep. He laments 
the loss of all this time, but is glad that he still feels 
himself to be young and active, just as he was when 
he went out in that boat. He manifests a good nat- 
ural organization, and wants to be doing something, 
— especially to go to school, to make up for his de : 
ficiency of knowledge. He is told that there are 
wise teachers all around him, and to choose one for 
his instructor. He does so, and finally becomes 
fully conscious of the new and grand life that may 
now be his. 

On appealing to the leading intelligence of our 
spirit-band, we were told that this was a peculiar 
and very interesting case, even to those in the spirit- 
life, — the peculiarity consisting mainly in the fact 
that the actual death was not by drowning, as appar- 
ent at first sight; but that, before the spirit had 
wholly left the body, the entire organism had been 
taken into the jaws and stomach of a large fish of 
some kind; and hence the unnaturalness of the 
deafcl* «md the singular results that followed. 



46 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 



HALLUCINATION AND SUICIDE. 

Our subject of to-night was a suicide. Almost a 
hermit's life had he led, constantly poring over books, 
his mind bent steadily upon this one point of inquiry, 
" If a man die, shall he live again ? " At length, the 
present life becoming worthless in his selfish isola- 
tion, and his mind unbalanced by his intense seeking 
upon the one point, he stabs himself to the heart, 
that his inquiry may be answered. 

But, instead of light, darkness and doubt still fol- 
lowed him in his unnatural and imperfect transition ; 
and thus he was found when allowed to take the con- 
trol of the medium. And now his first thought is, 
that he is still in the earthly body ; but, when di- 
rected to examine his condition more closely, he 
finds not the dagger and the blood, nor yet his own 
features to the body now occupied. Gradually he 
is made to understand the true relation of things, 
and that the great problem of his earthly life is at 
length solved, — that, when a man dies, he does live 
again. 

But he begins also to see the penalty of his mis- 
take in thus rushing unbidden into the life of the 
Beyond. He still seems to think, however, that even 
with the penalty, the step he has taken is gain when 
compared with his former condition. But much to 
learn has he, and much to do, before the true bright- 
ness of the spirit-life can be his. But with firm 
resolve, and some special spirit aid, he goes earnestly 
to work with a zeal naturally belonging to him. But, 



RESURRECTIONS. 47 

as our higher spirit wisdom informed us, he will, in 
the end, be made to see that every suicidal act is in 
reality a mistake involving personal loss and retrib- 
utary suffering to an extent not yet understood by 
him. 

TEN YEARS OF BLANK LIFE. 

This evening the spirit of a young girl, who had 
been accidentally shot by her brother while playing 
in a garden, came, and manifested the deepest anxiety 
that he should be told that he did not kill her as he 
thought, but that it was only the flesh, the bone, and 
the blood, that were killed. This she has been told 
by other spirits who have gathered around as she has 
been awakened from a long-continued torpid condi- 
tion, caused by the extremely shattered condition of 
the brain at the time of her death. About ten years, 
it seems, had elapsed in this condition, during which 
there had been no consciousness or growth. To her- 
self she is still the girl of seven, though in point of 
time she is really seventeen. 

She is finally comforted on being told that she 
would soon be able herself, in her spirit-form, to 
go and comfort her brother. A happy spirit she now 
seems, as she passes away in a joyous company of 
congenial mates. 

THE ABODES OF CHILDREN AND INFANTS VISITED. 

The main part of our sSance of this evening con- 
sisted in an exploration of the abodes of children 
and infants in the spirit-world. The time occupied 
was something over an hour; and the descriptive re- 



48 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ports, as given by the seer, were so vivid and inter- 
esting, that, could they have been taken down in 
full, they would have been a most valuable addition 
to the material I am gathering. But I was pre- 
vented by circumstances from giving even an ab- 
stract of what was thus received. But, as we have 
the promise of a further exploration in this direction 
at some future time, my regret is somewhat modified. 
The part of the present exploration which more 
particularly interested me was the description of the 
treatment of embryonic infants. Some of these were 
represented as being but little more than the first 
germs of conception, and hence requiring the utmost 
protection and care in their treatment. These were 
kept in a specially prepared department, the atmos- 
phere of which was laden not only with warmth, 
but also with nourishment. Yet, owing to the want 
of inherent vitality, the growth of these is exceed- 
ingly slow ; and many years must elapse before the 
evil of prematurity, and sometimes the wrong of vio- 
lence, can in any satisfactory degree be remedied. 

ONE WAITING FOE HIS " CEOWN OF LIFE." 

This evening first came one who had nearly lost 
his faith id God, because, although he had for a 
long time waited patiently for his expected "great 
mission" to come to him, yet he still sat idle 
by the wayside of the spirit-spheres, unable or un- 
willing to see that a whole harvest-field of small 
duties was all around him, through the first doing 
of which, alone, could he arrive at that " crown of 
life " to which he was looking forward. 



RESURRECTIONS. 49 

By this his return to something like his former 
earth-conditions, and from the instructions here re- 
ceived, he was enabled to see his mistake, and to get 
on the right road of penitence, humility, and of an 
active zeal in the immediate duties around him, as 
his first work in the spirit-life. And thus he is sure 
to rise gradually and naturally into a far richer inher- 
itance than aught of his former expectations or im- 
aginations. In short, this was a case of honest fanati- 
cism, but of so inveterate a type that it could only 
be cured by a peculiar and most searching treat- 
ment. 

A LITTLE OSTE COMFORTED. 

Now comes into view of the seer a little girl-spirit 
who is crying, and apparently lost. When ques- 
tioned, she said that her father brought her into this 
garden, — a cemetery, doubtless, — and then went 
away and left her. With great kindness, and a 
simple method, the seer explains to the little one, 
that she is now a spirit-girl, and that she can not go 
to her father just then, as he is not in a condition to 
understand her presence. She could, however, now 
go to her mother, who was already in the spirit-life. 

She was finally taken in charge by a beneficent 
spirit, who took her away to find her mother ; who, 
owing to certain unfavorable conditions, was not able 
to come for her personally. The little one seems to 
go rather reluctantly, however, as she evidently has 
a special love for her father — a love which had thus 
far kept her in the place where she had last seen 
him. 



50 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

A CRUSHED FLOWER RESTORED. 

A gentle, womanly spirit, who, while on earth, had 
been crushed by a sensual and selfish man, — it was 
implied that actual force had been used, — and who, 
in consequence, became insane, and died in an asy- 
lum, was the subject of our labors to-night. As she 
came to us, it seemed to be with a feeling that her 
moral nature had fallen with the mental; and all 
seemed darkness around her. But soon, with the 
aid of the clear and well-balanced perceptions af- 
forded her in her temporary possession of the organ- 
ism of our medium, she was able to see that it was 
only the external life that had been crushed, an 1 
that the interior central selfhood was still true and 
unharmed as to its moral brightness ; and, now that 
she is able more fully to inhale the bracing and ele- 
vating influences of the spirit-life around her, she 
becomes very earnest, and desires especially, as her 
first work, to return to earth, to try and make a man 
of the beast by whom she had thus suffered. 

A very earnest and truthful spirit this seemed to 
be ; and doubtless her influence will be widely felt 
in the work to winch she devotes herself in her now 
recovered and aroused condition. 

A GROUP OF INDIAN SPIRITS. 

This evening a class of the lowest grade of In- 
dian-life was made the subjects of our labors. 
Among these there seemed to be no aspiration 
whatever for a higher life; and hence the need of 
extraordinary help. 



RESURRECTIONS. 51 

Now a haughty and rather intelligent-looking 
Indian makes his appearance, whose assigned work 
it is to aid in teaching and lifting up the degraded 
ones. But at first he was somewhat unwilling and 
refractory ; so much so, that it was only after much 
persuasion, and some rebuke on the part of the seer, 
that he was at length induced to descend and meet 
the others somewhat on their own plane of life, and 
thus to give them the first impulse toward some- 
thing higher. 

Soon after, the seer herself was enabled to come 
into a nearer connection with the group, and to per- 
ceive faint signs of intelligence and hope gleaming 
from their dull and dusky faces ; and, after an en- 
couraging talk from her, a spirit-teacher was pro- 
vided for them, and they were left in a fair condi- 
tion of promise. 

INTELLIGENCE AND ENERGY RESURRECTED, 

An educated man of integrity and great natural 
capacity had met his death by a powerful, crushing 
blow on the forehead, — the region of individuality, 
which may have had something to do with the sin- 
gular result, — and for twenty-three years has re- 
mained in a dormant, unconscious condition. But 
now, through the efforts of our beneficent spirit-band, 
this torpid spirit is brought en rapport with the me- 
dium, and soon through her brain begins to recover 
consciousness, and finally regains the full use of his 
own mental powers. 

He now soliloquizes somewhat as follows : — 



52 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" I thought the blow would kill me, but it seems 
not, for I can still think and speak. But I am now 
told by those around me, of a lost time of over 
twenty years ; also, that I am what is called dead. 
So it seems that a blow cannot really kill ; also, that 
a violence done to natural law must have its penalty, 
and sometimes upon an innocent victim like myself. 

" I am surprised and gratified to find how fast my 
mind regains its activity, and how well I can use my 
powers of speech after so long a silence. But I now 
perceive, that, through the kind action of noble 
friends around me, I have been put in the tempo- 
rary possession of the organs of another, to enable 
me to regain the use of my own. 

" I am now almost free and clear again. I want 
to be up and doing. I do so earnestly desire to do 
some good work! I am told that whatever I thus 
earnestly desire, if it be for some good purpose, I 
shall find the means to accomplish. I like that, and 
will thus lift myself up again into an active and use- 
ful life. 

" A new thought now strikes me, or rather an old 
thought in a new garb : It is surely well that no 
one can wholly save himself ; for where then would 
be the noblest part of that great field of beneficent 
action, in which all true souls find their highest life 
and joy ? 

" I am now all ready for work. I feel like a loco- 
motive, with power to draw a whole train of moral 
enterprises. I must work, ivorJc, WORK ! " 

At this point a wise and placid spirit, with Quaker 



RESURRECTIONS. 53 

garb and mien, is seen to approach, and takes the 
subject in hand, to infuse into his being the needed 
modifying elements, in order to give a well-balanced 
and wisely-efficient action to the powers thus won- 
derfully restored to the spheres of noble activity in 
the spirit-life. 



CHAPTER III. 

EXPLORATIONS. 

In accordance with a previous announcement by 
our band, a slightly different use of the capacity of 
our seer is now to be made. Actual excursions to 
the spirit-world to gather lessons of instruction, and 
convey them to mortals, is to be her leading work 
for the present. A mere outline of our first effort of 
the kind is now to be given. 

SOME SPIRIT-HOMES, AND WHAT THEY TEACH. 

" I seem," said the seer, " to be passing upward 
over a plain of ether as substantial to my present 
condition as is the earth to the bodily senses. At 
length something like the parting of fleecy clouds 
takes place, and I am ushered into a scene redolent 
with flowers forming an atmosphere so real and 
grateful, that in itself it seems an all-sufficient cloth- 
ing for the form. Sisters I now see, if I may be per- 
mitted to call them thus ; and I tell them that I have 
come to visit their abodes, that I may gain lessons of 
wisdom for those still in the earthly life. They seem 
glad to meet and aid me in my work. So they at 
once confess that there was so much of selfishness 

54 



EXPL OR A TIONS. 55 

in their earthly lives, that their present homes are 
far from being satisfactory to them ; the greater part 
of the attractiveness being at the external entrance 
to them. 

" And so I find it ; for, as I enter more into the 
interior parts, all seems bare and unattractive. Thus 
it had been with this class in the earthly life : they 
had used the best part of their efforts for external 
show, whilst the interior spiritual selfhood had been 
sadly neglected. Hence — notwithstanding the first 
show of brightness which greeted me — I now find 
that these sisters are often sad at heart ; and in this 
tone they speak to me of the contrast between their 
condition, and the bright spirit-homes of many of 
those who had lived in poverty and obscurity while 
on the earth. 

" The lesson I here learn is, that those who would 
build for themselves wisely and brightly in the spirit- 
life must live for others rather than for themselves 
while in the earthly form. 

CHILDHOOD IK THE SPLHIT-SPHEEES. 

" Now another sphere or condition of life is entered, 
in which I find many children being instructed in 
various useful matters. One little girl I see, of fra- 
gile but well-developed form, who says that she is 
seven years old, and has no papa or mamma that she 
knows any thing of. It now appears that she is one 
of the embryonic spirit-children seen in a former vis- 
ion, who, from the tenderly managed infirmary then 
described, has been removed by degrees, — like a 



56 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

tender plant from a hot-house, — until the present 
stage of half-hardy development had been reached. 
But much still remains to he done before the evil 
effects of an embryonic violence be fully removed, 
and the child be what she might have been at a 
much earlier stage of her spirit existence, had she 
been ushered into her first sphere of life in a normal 
and natural manner." 

A glimpse merely of a still higher condition, where 
mature spirits of great wisdom were discoursing upon 
matters so high, that, to the seer, all was as in an 
unknown tongue. But here the lif ting-up power 
seemed to fail, and she was gradually brought back 
to her earthly condition ; but with a painful yearn- 
ing for a further advance into the higher conditions, 
which she is assured shall be satisfied soon. 

SOCIAL SHAMS UNVEILED. 

The visit of this evening was to a sphere of the 
superficially polite of both sexes in the lower condi- 
tions of the spirit-world. 

" Those found here are recently from the fashion- 
able circles of the earth-life, and are still in close 
proximity to earthly ways and influences. Whilst in 
this lower condition, and closely en rapport with the 
scenes they have so recently left, they are able for 
a while to keep up the old delusions, and still to 
think that they are the select ones of humanity, and 
that the most important part of their work is to keep 
the superficialities of dress and manners in a brightly 
polished condition. 



EXPLORATIONS. 57 

" But the delusion lasts for a short time only ; for 
there is power of attraction from the higher spirit 
conditions, that reaches down, and gradually draws 
them out of their state of delusive self-complacency. 
First one and then another is thus affected, until 
ultimately all will be thus reached, and lifted out of 
this unpropitious condition. 

" The first one thus laid hold upon by the higher 
influence, as the scene passes before me, is a young 
and rather thoughtfully inclined woman ; and around 
her I see a halo of light gathering from above. Her 
thoughts go backward over the career which was 
hers upon the earth ; and some of the scenes passing 
in review fill her soul with deep shame and remorse. 
But she is fast becoming conscious that a noble scene 
of self-recovery and progress may be hers in the 
future ; and now she can no longer be drawn back 
to the delusive frivolities of the others, but turns her 
face upward toward the bright and attractive power 
that has laid hold upon her. 

" Now, at length, in the others, better thoughts and 
purposes seem to be awakened ; and thus the current 
conventionalities gradually lose their power over the 
group before me. They are, as it were, spiritually 
uncovered to each other, so that mutually they ap- 
pear as they are ; and it is curious to observe some 
of the first effects of the revelation. The mortifica- 
tion of each sex becomes especially keen when it is 
found out that their superficiality and sham are made 
known to the other. 

" But the humiliation of such an exposure is the 



58 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

beginning of a conscious knowledge of the true, in 
contradistinction to the false and showy standard of 
worth to which they have been accustomed; and the 
final result can not fail to be in accordance with the 
high purpose kept in view by the controlling power 
of this disciplinary action, and the subjects be per- 
manently lifted up into the higher spirit conditions." 

A SPIRIT EEBTJKE, AND ITS RECOMPENSE. 

Our seer having been somewhat imprudent during 
the day, especially as to paying due attention to spirit 
directions, this evening her father in spirit-life came 
and administered something like a rebuke. 

But very soon after there came a gentle and beau- 
tiful spirit, with robe gracefully arranged, and a bou- 
quet of flowers in her hand. She said that her name 
was Peace ; and, gracefully extracting a flower, gave 
it to the seer. Then, after receiving a gentle hint in 
that direction, she was seen to extend toward me a 
white rose. But, when told of this, I at first shrank 
from receiving it, saying that I was not pure enough 
for such an emblem. To this the dear spirit replied, 
" Then come as near to it as you can," a lesson winch 
I most gratefully appropriated. 

Soon after, the face of the seer lighted up with a 
joyous expression, and her arms were extended as if 
to embrace some one, whilst she exclaimed, " Why, 
it is my sister Laura ! " 

It seems that this bright and joyous spirit had 
somewhat playfully attempted to come in a disguise, 
but was withal quite pleased to find herself finally 



EXPLORATIONS. 59 

recognized. Quite a pleasant communion followed, 
so that Mrs. Loucks was fully compensated for having 
been taken to task by her father. 

There was, however, no excursion to-night, though 
it was promised, that, with proper care on her part, 
she would soon be able to visit the different classes 
of homes in the snirit-world, including those of her 
own kindred. 

A CHUECH GATHERING IN THE SPIEIT-LIFE. 

The visit of to-night was to a gathering of sincere 
but mistaken religionists recently from the earthly 
life. To a great extent, they still retained their old 
ideas, and were expecting to be met and welcomed 
by a personal Messiah. At length a bright spirit 
comes, who to them is the Messiah, and they are 
ready to fall down and worship him. But he pre- 
vents them, telling them that he himself is but a 
brother with them, and that the best in them is 
closely related to the best in him. Other words of 
a similar characters he utters, until gradually and at 
length he succeeds in loosening somewhat their hold 
upon the grosser of their falsities. With especial 
earnestness does he direct his efforts to remove from 
their minds the idea that true salvation can come 
through any external adventitious process, and to 
impress upon them the truth that this can take place 
only through a natural unfolding of the inward life- 
capacities common to all. 

Great now is the surprise and joy of these honest 
but mistaken ones, as they at length clearly perceive 



60 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

that they are not, as to their natures, " worms of the 
dust," but closely related to God and his angels. 
They are now in a measure freed from their bondage, 
and prepared to make rapid strides in the career of 
spiritual advancement. 

GLIMPSES OF HADES. 

In returning, our seer had some saddening glimpses 
of the lower abysses of degradation and crime in the 
spirit-world; but her sadness was greatly relieved 
when she was also permitted to see somewhat of the 
means employed by those in the higher spheres to 
deliver the degraded ones. To her then present vis- 
ion, one was thus delivered through the influence of 
a loved child taken by angelic spirits to visit a father 
in these lower conditions. Of this interesting and 
touching process, quite an outline of particulars was 
given by the seer ; but I find myself unable now to 
recall and record them with sufficient correctness. 

A CHILD OF THE COLORED RACE : HOW TREATED. 

The seer not being very well to-night, and I my- 
self being somewhat disturbed in mind, at first there 
came a band of Indians, who with rough comicality, 
music, and dancing, tried to induce a cheerful har- 
mony. Finally the right conditions seemed to be 
sufficiently established to answer a somewhat higher 
purpose, and a change of influences took place. 

And now the seer has placed in her lap a bright- 
looking child about four years of age, one of the 
earth's colored race, the taint of whose origin seemed 



EXPLORATIONS. 61 

to follow even into the spirit-life. On this account, 
the delicate and very sensitive child still continued to 
suffer from scorn and neglect. Some kind and true- 
hearted spirit mother was needed to rightly care for 
the child ; and in this work our seer seemed to be- 
come a useful agency. 

The first one who came in response to the call, being 
still much within the earth-sphere and its influences, 
soon shrank from the proposed work, and left : she 
could by no means be a mother to one who had be- 
longed to the despised colored race. But now comes 
a pure and gentle being from the higher conditions, 
and takes the little waif gently and lovingly away to 
her home, where she has already a large circle of 
child-spirits, to whom she is the real mother in spirit, 
although, as to the flesh, she has had no children of 
her own. Here the hitherto homeless one will no 
longer feel or know of a distinction founded solely 
on race and color. 

The thought intimated above, that those who hap- 
pen to hold simply the fleshly relationship of parents 
to children in the earthly life are by no means neces- 
sarily and always the real parents as to the spiritual 
being of their offspring, has been often given me 
in my intercourse with the spirit-world. I have no 
doubt but that this is a truth in the very nature of 
things, one which will be clearly seen and practically 
acknowledged by all on entering that unseen life of 
perfect law and perfect justice. 



62 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

SPIRIT-HOMES, AND HOW THEY ARE BUILDED. 

Now the seer goes into a deeper condition, and 
says, " I am going away from this ; am now crossing 
the river I have seen before ; I am soon on the other 
side. Oh, if mortals only knew, they would not 
care for the voyage ; they would only care for what 
they should carry with them ! 

"Now I am passing through a somewhat length- 
ened darkness; but I do not feel troubled, for I 
am conscious that friendly supporters are close at 
hand. Even now I catch a glimpse of the form of a 
loved one in the brightness beyond. 

"And now I see strangely shaped buildings. They 
seem to have no foundations, but all the work is in 
the upper part. I think that they must fall, so 
patched and poorly braced are they in their lower 
parts. They are the homes of those who have been 
unfortunately cursed with an excessive self-esteem; 
of those who, while on earth, had been quite sure 
that they knew it all, and therefore they could not 
be taught. 

" One of these I now see quite distinctly before 
me, and he seems beginning to be conscious of his 
mistake, and to long for its correction. And be- 
hold ! with the dawning of this wish, that ungainly- 
shaped and tottering building which now serves as 
his abode is made unto him a daguerreotype, as it 
were, of his actual character. And thus he is able to 
study its defects, and gradually, through harmonious 
thought and labor, to bring this his spirit-home, 



EXPLORATIONS. 63 

which is ever the reflex of character, into shapes of 
order and beanty. 

" I am glad to see you go to work so earnestly and 
wisely. Will you let me come and see the inside 
when you have got your home in order ? [This to 
the spirit, but no reply is perceived.] 

" Now I see one who does not seem to care for a 
home. He is satisfied to lie down and lazily go into 
a stupid sleep. But soon a thunderbolt seems to 
strike him ; and he is aroused into mute amaze- 
ment, and hears a voice saying, ' We have no idlers 
here.' He seems to think this rather hard, as he had 
never succeeded in having much of such lazy com- 
fort while on earth ; and that he might now have his 
fill undisturbed. But he is told that only action, 
and much of it for others, can give him real comfort. 
And so finally he is induced to make an effort to 
help some who are lower than himself in their con- 
dition, when, lo ! a new consciousness begins to 
awaken within him ; and he not only gains the peace 
of self-approval, but finds also that the very effort 
made tends to remove the morbid accumulation of 
crude magnetism with which he was laden, and thu& 
to make other efforts easy and pleasant to him." 

A DAY OF JUDGMENT. 

The first part of this evening's exercises was of a 
deeply impressive, personal character, especially to 
the seer, who, while in her spirit-condition, was made 
to go through with a very searching self-examination, 
both as regarding the past and the present of her 



64 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

life. This was, as we were told, an experience some- 
thing like that which every individual must have 
on entering the spirit-world; an experience which 
should be regarded as the true Day of Judgment to 
the individual concerned. In this instance, as we 
were given to understand, there were special reasons, 
which would appear in due time, for the time and 
manner in which the personal was thus given. 

THE BACCHANALS. 

Near the close of the evening the seer spoke as 
follows : — 

" I see a table spread out with all the appliances 
of a feast ; and around it are guests seated, who seem 
to be eating and drinking with great hilarity. And 
yet to my vision the dishes contain no food, and the 
bottles no drink. These seem to be bacchanals, 
whose minds and language are exceedingly gross, 
with whom the low jest passes for wit, and the ribald 
laugh for merriment. It is sad indeed to see such 
maudlin vacancy in any who pass for human beings. 
Why, there is scarcely any action in the higher 
organs of the brain! It is all vacancy, or worse 
than vacancy. 

" And yet it is now seen by me, that a redeeming 
power is yet to reach even a degradation like this. 
Already something has seemed to strike the low 
carousers as with an electric shock; and they are 
beginning to be ashamed of their condition, and to 
have a glimpse of the higher possibilities within 
them. Oh, I thank the divine, all-merciful Parent, 



EXPLORATIONS. Q$ 

that these, and all his seemingly lost ones, are yet 
to be brought out of their crude and darkened con- 
dition into the brightness and joy of the upper 
spheres ! " 

In answer to a question it was said, that, to those 
in the lower conditions of the spirit-life, it seemed 
necessary that something like the earthly methods of 
eating and drinking should be kept up, though even 
here it was more of a semblance than a reality ; but 
in the higher conditions, the needed nourishment is 
received much as we of earth receive the light and 
air. 



CHAPTER IV. 

HOME SCENES. — A VISIT TO KINDRED IN THE 
SPIRIT-WORLD. 

The opening of this evening's seance was an 
earnest prayer of the seer that she might be fitted 
rightly to engage in the work before her. Then her 
father came to her, and gave her to understand that 
now at length was she to be permitted to visit the 
homes of some of her own kindred in the spirit- 
spheres ; and that he himself was to be her guide. 

And now in succession were visited the homes of 
her paternal grandmother, her own mother, and of 
her dear sister Laura, who seemed to be in a higher 
spiritual condition than either of the others. 

The most ecstatic joy was manifested by Mrs. 
Loucks as she was thus enabled for the first time to 
look into the abodes of dear ones in the life beyond. 
Loving greetings and other natural manifestations of 
affection were exchanged as she thus entered the 
different homes. And, when the time came for it, it 
was with the greatest reluctance that she returned 
into a condition of closer proximity to the earth. 

Here she saw innumerable hosts of harmonious 
spirits connected so closely in their condition, that a 



HOME SCENES. 67 

throb of joy in the individual life was instantly felt 
by the entire united body. Thus it was, especially 
when any work for the good of the earthly humanity 
had been successfully accomplished. Yet this vast 
body of harmonious workers, she could perceive, was 
made up of many smaller groups who were held 
together by still closer bonds of sympathy and love. 

On subsequently questioning the seer in regard to 
the matter, she said that the reason why she did not 
more minutely describe to me the homes of the 
friends visited, especially that of her sister Laura, 
was because her powers of perception, even in her 
then exalted condition, proved to be unequal to a 
minute investigation of the higher conditions thus 
visited. 

From this answer, it appears that, although the 
general characteristics of such higher homes could 
thus be laid open to the perceptions of the seer, yet 
their more minute and recondite wonders were neces- 
sarily still veiled from her vision. 

But enough had already been made known to her 
to show that, although those still in somewhat close 
relations with the earth, had homes much like ours, 
yet that those of the more advanced conditions, were 
quite different, being, indeed, much like the spheres 
usually seen surrounding individuals ; and also that 
these spheres, or homes, were generally too refined 
for the perceptions of clairvoyant powers still 
enshrined in the mortal form ; and that therefore, 
when a spirit of the higher grades of life is mani- 
fested to the ordinary mediumistic vision, it must be 



68 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

through an extemporization of the surroundings 
naturally belonging to those in much closer relations 
with the earth. Hence it would appear, that when 
our friends in the higher conditions, come within 
range of the clairvoj^ant sight, they are, as it were, 
encamped in improvised tabernacles, or enshrouded 
in robes suited to the atmosphere in which for the 
time being they are, in order to fulfill their loving 
puporses. 

And all this is in perfect accord with the wonder- 
ful range of natural law in the spirit life, as is now 
beginning to be more fully understood by advanced 
receivers of the Spiritualism of to-day. 

A BLASTED LIFE. 

This evening's exercises I give as nearly as possi- 
ble in the exact language used by the seer. 

" I feel the influence of a blasted life. It is the 
presence of H. C. K. 1 He is very anxious to take 
control of the conditions, long enough to give expres- 
sion to his feelings of sorrow and shame for the 
wicked perversion of the later years of his life." 

"We expressed ourselves as quite willing to attend 
to his request, if the controlling wisdom of our band 
should consent. The decision from that source was, 
that, after due attention to the regularly appointed 
work for the evening, a limited time should be appro- 
priated to Ins purpose. 

1 A prominent and well-known secretary of several mining com- 
panies of San Francisco, who had recently committed suicide. He 
was personally known to both Mrs. Loucks and myself, and hence 
the naturalness of his coming to us. I have given his initials only, as 
being all that is necessary for present purposes. 



HOME SCENES. 



ELECTKICAL AND CHEMICAL BATHS. 

The seer now visits what may be called electrical 
and chemical baths in the spirit-world. She says, 
" A deep and broad basin is before me. Into it a 
stream of brilliant liquid is running, and dashing 
itself into sparkling foam, which reaches even to the 
vessel's brim. It is an electric fountain, and in it are 
to be seen the forms of merry children bathing and 
frolicking. Sometimes they are on the surface, at 
others diving beneath ; and again they are seen 
partially ascending the falling stream, and then 
gliding laughingly down again, much after the man- 
ner of ' coasting ' by children in the earthly life. 

" I am told that this is the way in which immature 
spirits, before the "will-power is fairly established, 
throw off the grosser particles of their organization, 
and thus become more highly advanced. The effect 
of this upon the spirit is much like that of material 
bathing upon the bodily organization. 

" I now stand by another chemical fountain. It is 
of a colored liquid, which is for the healing of vari- 
ous morbid accretions and deformities acquired in 
the earthly life. The lingering effects of scrofula, 
crooked spines, and other unnatural growths, are here 
treated according to natural law, by wise chemists 
who are in no misty doubt as to the true method or 
its results. 

" The colored liquid appears to come from a rock 
above ; as it falls, there is a blending of the various 
colors of the rainbow, adding to it new health-giving 



70 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

powers. I feel like testing the effect of this liquid 
upon myself. I walk into it, and it seems to give me 
the desire to stretch myself. 

" One of the cases for treatment is now presented 
distinctly before me for recognition and notice. The 
subject has a. large, an unnaturally large head, for a 
man of twenty-four years old, as he is ; and yet the 
body is barely that of a child as to its height. He 
now enters the water, standing sometimes under the 
stream, and sometimes behind it, with varying effect. 

" The result soon begins to be felt, painfully at 
first. But the subject seems to be firmly held in his 
position by the combined will-force of the chemical 
preceptors, as I now feel prompted to call them. 

" The change is first upon the head, which gradually 
loses its unnatural proportions. Then the shoulders 
are made to feel the reforming power of the mystic 
waters. Finally the limbs, one by one, are made, 
through the now stimulated will-power of the sub- 
ject, slowly but surely to assume their due propor- 
tion and length. And now the rejoicing spirit begins 
to move about in his newly-gained perfect shape, 
though somewhat stiffly and carefully at first, as if in 
fear of a relapse into the old conditions : and occa- 
sionally there are symptoms of this ; but then the 
watchful care and will-power of the chemists avert 
the threatened relapse, and thus on until the will- 
force of the patient is rightly established, and the 
renovated person is safe." 

In closing, it was said that, if the power, and right 
use of the will were but fully understood and wisely 



HOME SCENES. 71 

used, this in itself might be the all-potent agent with 
which to heal one's self; and it was prophesied that 
the time was at hand when earthly physicians of 
advanced wisdom would fully understand this, and 
be guided accordingly. 

And now, as by previous arrangement, came our 
unfortunate friend H. C. K. ; and with him we had 
a long, sad talk concerning the last three years of his 
earthly life, during which, step by step, he had de- 
scended from his previous honorable life, deeper and 
still deeper into evils of various kinds ; until, goaded 
on by despair, he had committed the crowning act of 
wickedness, — the taking of his own life. 

And now to him it appeared to be, though a 
deeply humiliating, yet a grateful privilege, thus 
to pour out his bitter regret and deep penitence into 
the sympathizing minds of some whom he had known 
in his earthly life. 

We did what we could to help him in this his day 
of deep darkness. We turned his attention back to 
some of the acts of his life known to us, which had 
seemed worthy the name of true beneficence. But 
this did not seem to afford him much relief ; for, as 
he said, when regarded from his present standpoint 
of a just self-judgment, these acts would not bear 
the test of a strict scrutiny, there having been so 
large a mingling of selfishness in them. 

Before leaving us, however, he seemed to be con- 
siderably brightened in his condition, and on parting 
expressed the wish to take my hand, and was about 
to give me his blessing ; when, suddenly recollecting 



72 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

himself, he said that he was not then in a condition 
to give any one a blessing, hut that he now began to 
have faith that in due time he might be a blessing 
to us and others of his earthly friends. 

In closing he charged me to tell the world that 
he was sorry, and ashamed for his perverted life and 
disgraceful death, and for the misery he had thus 
brought upon those dear to him, especially upon a 
dearly loved daughter. 

Soon after, Mrs. Loucks said, " I see a beautiful fe- 
male spirit coming to his help. She is an earthly love 
who has been in the spirit-world about thirty years. 
Her coming is a ray of brightness to him ; and yet 
he shrinks from her advances until he is made sure 
that she knows, in full, of his present degradation. 
Indeed, her purity and gentle, loving spirit, seem at 
first to send him still deeper into the shades of 
humility and self-reproach. Yet she does by no 
means shrink from him, but speaks words of kindly 
encouragement, urging him to bear bravely his marks 
of degradation until he should be able to cover them 
over with the garments of truth, beauty, and an ear- 
nest beneficence. He might be assured that her help 
would be with him, but seemingly from a distance at 
present ; until, having at length gained the victory in 
his own self-struggle, and being thus in a measure 
fitted for the higher life, he would, through natu- 
ral law, rise into conditions more closely resembling 
her own. 



HOME SCENES. 73 



EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE GEIEF, ON OUR SPIRIT- 
FRIENDS. 

To-night the seer was not in a right condition to 
ascend into the higher spirit regions; she could 
only, as it were, stand upon the first step of the ever- 
ascending spiral stairway, — that, which was in near- 
est proximity to the earth-sphere. Here her at- 
tention was first called to the condition of a child- 
spirit just from the earthly home of a loving and 
now desolate father. So long as this tender yearn- 
ing of the father-heart continued in its intensity, it 
was seen that the child was, by natural law, held in 
close connection with the earth-sphere ; and the ap- 
pointed guardian spirits could not take it to the higher 
home to which by virtue of its innocence it rightfully 
belonged. 

So doubtless it is in regard to the more mature 
spirits. They are often held in bondage to the earth- 
sphere by the intense grief and unyielding longing 
of friends left behind ; and thus their upward prog- 
ress is stayed for a time. 

Another scene attracts the attention of the seer. 
A fashionable lady, who has had no care for aught 
but show and frivolity, is now seen in great sadness 
and suffering. Her charms of person have mostly 
disappeared ; and a pet child, a boy of some sixteen 
years of age, has just been taken from her by the 
hand of death. She now begins to think of the pos- 
sibility of something beyond the present life, and its 
fashionable frivolities. The invisible spirit child, who 



74 VISIONS OF TUB BEYOND. 

has still fast hold upon her heart-strings, is now gently, 
but strongly, drawing her away from that mere sem- 
blance of life which hitherto has been hers. And, to 
the seer, this seemed to be given as a simple illustra- 
tion of the natural tendency of this kind of earthly 
affliction : it is the grand working power with which 
to draw souls away from the lower to a higher life. 

This was all of any special significance that condi- 
tions would allow of this evening. But before com- 
ing wholly out of her spirit-condition, a symbolical 
key was shown to the seer, which, she was given to 
understand, indicated the opening of a hew door in 
her advancing mediumistic career ; but the exact na- 
ture of the coming change was not made apparent 
to us. 

A MASONIC GATHERING EST SPIRIT-LIFE. 

This evening our exercises were so extended and 
interesting, that I utterly despair of doing any thing 
like justice to them. I will, however, do the best 
that shall be given me, using, as far as this is possi- 
ble, the words, as well as the ideas, conveyed by the 
seer. 

"I hail from the earth," she said, after having 
become fairly fixed in her wonderfully interesting 
abnormal, or spirit-condition, — "I hail from the 
earth, and am seeking to understand the higher 
truths and conditions of your spirit-life, that I may 
convey their lessons to those still in the mortal form. 

" I see vast arches and domes above me. Am I in 
a cathedral ? or is it any appointed place of worship ? 
The reply I hear is, that all places are places of wor- 
ship here, — none more so than others. 



HOME SCENES. 75 

" But I now see mysterious signs, or hieroglyphics ; 
and I ask to know the meaning of these. I myself 
can not read them, and am told that in order to be 
able so to do, my initiation should have taken place 
in the lower or earthly condition. 

" I now perceive this to be a place for Masonic 
gatherings in this higher life ; but not now, however, 
is it any part of the work to exchange mystical signs 
and grips, or to display a showy regalia. But it is 
for a simply spontaneous gathering of those who, 
having in the earthly life been associated in the mys- 
tic order, but having outgrown its showy superficiali- 
ties, are now drawn together for purposes of noble 
and universal beneficence. The mysterious signs at 
the entrance are, as I am told, used simply to attract 
the attention of those who had been familiar with 
them in the earth-life; and thus to draw together 
congenial workers in an association someivhat resem- 
bling the Masonic order of their former life. 

" One in plain citizen's dress is now speaking, and 
is listened to with the closest attention. The speaker 
is Washington himself; and among the hearers I 
recognize several whose features have become familiar 
to the readers of illustrated American history, among 
whom stands prominently forth the well-known face 
of Nathaniel P. Willis. 

" There is no empty show here, or shallow purpose ; 
but all tends toward action, and for the good of the 
Grand Order of Humanity. 



76 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

A HALL OF DIPLOMACY. 

" I now pass farther on, and see a superstructure 
still more beautiful and imposing. It is named to me 
as the Hall of Diplomacy, where those meet whose 
earthly training has especially fitted them to be the 
guardians and guides of the nations they have left 
behind. It is not purely an American assemblage, 
yet I can clearly perceive, from the influence that 
comes to me in my somewhat distant position, — for 
conditions do not allow of my near approach to this 
august assemblage, — that the welfare of this nation 
is, in an especial manner, an object of their counsel 
and efforts. 

" What appear to be bridges, connect this hall with 
other edifices of smaller dimensions in the near vicin- 
ity. One of these is of a pagoda-form, and into this 
I am now permitted to enter. It is occupied by one 
individual of great clearness of perception, whose 
business it is to examine credentials, and to pass the 
accredited to their seats in the great hall containing 
the assembled wisdom of the nations. 

VISIT TO A SCHOOL IN THE SPIETT-WORLD. 

" I now descend somewhat in my position, and 
find myself in an assembly of teachers and pupils; 
and here I am allowed to witness the methods of 
instruction in the spirit-life. Old and young I see 
occupying the same classes ; and, strange to say, 
those of the same average ability, who have not had 
what is called an education on earth, here promise 



HOME SCENES. 77 

the most rapid progress. The reason is, that the 
others have many errors to unlearn, before they are 
prepared to see and acknowledge the new truths; 
for here truths are clearly seen by open, intuitive 
minds. For here it is not theories concerning truth, 
but the truths themselves, that are set before the 
pupils. The method is more like what we of earth 
call object-teaching than any other system of instruc- 
tion. 

" A conspicuous example of the false methods of 
earth now stands before me, in the person of a self- 
conceited teacher recently from her earthly labors. 
She does not seem at all to like the method here 
pursued, and is quite free to criticise what is going 
on. She is not yet ready to take her proper position 
among the pupils, but expatiates quite freely on the 
worth of the old methods of her former life. 

" The spirit-teacher does not seem to be at all 
troubled or discouraged at the blindness and per- 
versity of the self-opinionated novitiate in his school ; 
but rather encourages her to go on and expose the 
shallowness of her mental condition, which is soon 
seen by all, but particularly by a bright boy of not 
more than fourteen years of age, who can hardly 
restrain himself from prematurely setting her right. 

" At length the spirit-teacher gives her what seems 
to be a delicate spray of fern-leaf; when, to her open- 
ing vision, there appear to be marks of wisdom in 
it, that no book of botany ever named ; and she now 
begins to see and acknowledge the superiority of 
this method, over the one heretofore so firmly fixed 
in her mind. 



78 VISIONS OF Till-: BEYOND. 

" Other similar experiments follow, until at length 
she is fairly transformed into a promising pupil of 
the spirit-instructor ; at which the bright-minded boy 
appears especially to rejoice, — in sympathy, however; 
not in the way of triumph. 

A HOSPITAL FOR THE AGED AND INFIRM OF MIND. 

" Still farther on, in my approach toward the 
earth, I see what may be called hospitals, for certain 
aged ones of infirm minds, who do not seem to have 
had a sufficiency of life-force to become resurrected 
in the usual natural and easy manner. 

" Some of these appeared to have remained par- 
tially dormant for a long time ; but now — through 
the great wisdom and care of the attending helpers, 
who magnetize and work over these torpid ones with 
especial fidelity — signs of new life and intelligence 
to appear. One of these subjects I perceive to be a 
Frenchman, who seems to be much gratified at the 
change that has taken place in his condition. I can 
understand what he says, though I do not know his 
language." 

• Soon after, as she seemed to continue her approach 
toward the earth, Mrs. Loucks caught sight of one 
whom she recognized as an old acquaintance. Hav- 
ing at length succeeded in gaining the attention of 
this friend, — now in the spirit-life, — a pleasant ex- 
change of greetings and some general conversation 
ensued. 

On coming out of her condition, as had often been 
the case before, the most enthusiastic expressions 



HOME SCENES. 79 

were uttered iD regard to the grandeur, the glory, 
and extent of the regions of which our seer had thus 
caught a magnificent glimpse. 

HOMES AND THEER SIGNEFICANCE. 

The opening words of this evening were, " I have 
entered a hamlet in the spirit-life, the houses of which 
are all open at the sides, the timbers only being 
visible, — making them look much like bird-cages. 
These are the natural outgrowths of the earthly lives 
of the occupants, who were simple and honest-minded, 
with nothing to be concealed. There is a light and 
genial atmosphere in this hamlet, which is quite pleas- 
ant to my perceptions. 

"Farther on, and in what seems to be a higher 
position, I see a very differently constructed house. 
It is entirely closed up, with the exception of one 
open door at the front. It has a dark and repelling 
look, both outside and in, so far as I am permitted to 
see. A tall, dark-looking woman comes to the door, 
and asks, 4 What are you looking in here for ? ' I 
reply that I am seeking for knowledge, that I may be 
of benefit to those still in the earth-life. ' Will you 
allow me to enter your house, that I may gain a lesson 
here also ? ' She finally consents, on seeing my hon- 
est sincerity in the matter. I find her occupied with 
trivial, childlike affairs, such as the dressing and care 
of dolls, small bead-work, and other similar matters. 
I try to show her that such occupations are unworthy 
of one who has faculties in all respects the same in 
kind as the best of the other sex." 



80 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

Here followed an earnest address from the seer to 
the woman, the object of which was to arouse her to 
a sense of her degraded position, and into an active 
and independent individuality. The success of the 
appeal seemed to be but partial ; for the woman 
still appeared to be much inclined to remain in her 
prison-like subjection to the one who is still her 
lordly husband, after the old order of the earthly life. 
The close-built house expressed his desire to keep 
her in bondage and ignorance; and the apparent 
elevation above the position of the hamlet just de- 
scribed, was only apparent, and resulted from the 
natural habits of the owner, who had been a moun- 
taineer in his earthly life ; and hence now, in the 
spirit-life, he had found for his habitation a position 
corresponding to his former one. But, morally speak- 
ing, his position was in reality much lower than was 
that of the dwellers in the hamlet. He himself was 
apparently absent at the time of the visit, after the 
usual vagrant wandering way of such persons ; but 
would return in due time, and claim the services of 
his woman-slave. The seer was given to understand 
that she would revisit this place for further observa- 
tion. 

CHILD-SPOETS AND THEIR USES. 

A group of child-spirits next attracts my attention. 
They are all alive with frolic, after the manner of our 
earthly children. Some of them are engaged with 
drums, banners, and mimic parades, after the old way 
of imitating the warlike customs of their elders in 
the earth-life. But all this is only for a while, only 



HOME SCENES. 81 

long enough for an easy transition from that which 
has naturally followed them from the earth into the 
lower conditions of the spirit-life. They will soon 
grow out of this into that which is higher, and more 
in harmony with their final destiny. Even now 
some of them seem to be getting weary of these 
inferior kinds of show and recreation. One young 
girl I see, who was about being crowned their May- 
queen, with the natural personal vanity of such an 
occasion, when all at once she seems to catch a 
glimpse of something higher, and more worthy of her 
capacities ; and now she has turned away from that 
which before attracted and satisfied her. 

" And thus these youthful ones, under the eye of a 
wise and careful teacher, soon pass on into the higher 
and far more instructive scenes of the spirit-life. It is 
indeed wonderful, and greatly rejoices my heart, to see 
how these spirit-children are guarded and guided in 
their upward course. Oh, would that our earthly 
schools could be thus wisely and lovingly conducted ! 
I feel very earnest upon this point, and finally ask the 
noble spirit-teacher if he can not bring one of his pre- 
pared bands so into contact with the earthly groups 
of school-children, as thus to help them somewhat 
out of their unpropitious conditions into states more 
in harmony with theirs. The reply is, that this is 
always done ; that as soon as one of his child-classes 
is rightly prepared, it is taken as nearly as possible 
into helping relations with the schools and play- 
grounds of the earthly life. 



82 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

HOMES OF THE RED MEN. 

" And now I am passing near to a region wholly 
inhabited by Indian spirits of rather a low and inac- 
tive order. Efforts are being made from the higher 
condition to reach and redeem these, and not without 
a good measure of success. From time to time, 
those who may be called missionaries come near to 
these ignorant and torpid ones, and by a certain 
magnetic attraction draw away portions of them, 
and take them into a kind of service, in which are 
included large efforts at instruction. After a due 
course of training, these reformed Indian spirits 
become quite useful helpers, especially to those be- 
neficent healers who are now so active in alleviating 
the sufferings and curing the maladies of our earthly 
humanity. 

" There is one of these Indian spirits who seems 
to be of higher grade than the others, who comes to 
me with a bright-looking pappoose in his arms, of 
which he has evidently high hopes and expectations. 
He thinks that the child is to be a seer, and is active 
in every possible way to help the little one to ' more 
brightness,' as he calls it ; and, to this end, he asks 
me to put my hands on its head. But not much 
help comes in this way, though I have the percep- 
tion that such earnest effort on his part — a true, 
prayer I think it is — will not wholly fail of its ob- 
ject. 



HOME SCENES. 83 



ARISTOCRACY AND CASTE EST THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 

And now a vision of aristocracy and caste in the 
spirit-world, the locality of which seemed to be in 
near proximity to the British realm. 

" I see what appears to be the outline of a very 
large superstructure, an outline which is intended to 
represent the various grades of caste in a modern 
monarchy. It is but a faint and lingering shadow 
of what exists upon the earth, but which here in the 
spirit-life can never exist as a substantial reality, but 
in its every trace must soon vanish into the wide 
realm of eternal and equal justice to all. 

" And now these architectural outlines, which ap- 
pear much like the foundation of a large and compli- 
cated building, are seen to be alive with the various 
orders of caste, arranged at first much as had been 
the case with them in the earthly life, from which 
most of them have recently been removed. 

" But the fixedness of the lines of distinction soon 
begins to waver, and the different classes are seen to 
be fast coming into a closer and often a disturbing 
contact. My attention is especially called to one of 
high rank ; a duke he was upon earth, of the nearest 
approach to royalty. From some casual remark 
made in his presence, he has just come to a practical 
knowledge that the man who once blacked his boots 
now stands upon the same social platform with him- 
self, and that in order to rise into that actual supe- 
riority of which, from his natural capacity, he is capa- 
ble, he, the former duke, must take his position in 



84 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

the common ranks, and industriously work his way 
upward even as do others. The conviction astounds 
him at first ; but, with the light now given him, he is 
soon able to understand the justness and fitness of 
the law impelling him, and to turn his attention 
faithfully to his work. 

" And now to my extended perception it appears 
that many of the nobility of the earth's past history 
have thus risen not only to a clear perception of their 
former mistake, but have also become active agents 
in overthrowing the same unjust distinctions still 
prevailing in the earthly life." 

After this there seemed to be open to the vision 
of the. seer a clairvoyant perception of the condition 
of several of the nations of Europe. These, from 
causes thus set at work in the spirit-world, were soon 
to be shaken to the very center. A great overturn, 
it was clearly seen, must soon take place, and the 
lower world thus become transformed more into har- 
mony with the rule of absolute justice as found in 
the upper spirit-spheres. 



CHAPTER V. 

SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. — A LOVE-SCENE IN 
THE SPIRIT-LIFE. 

A love-scene now, the first we have had presented 
to us. As usual, I will as far as possible, give the 
words as well as ideas of the seer : — 

" One is now before me who seems to have been a 
military officer in the earthly life. He is in a reclin- 
ing position, and at his head stands a lovely woman 
who has come from the high conditions of the spirit- 
life. In her hand she holds a bouquet of sweet, deli- 
cate flowers. These, one by one, she is taking out, 
and giving the internal meaning of to her companion ; 
who at first does not seem much interested in the 
process. But gradually he begins to see some of the 
hidden beauties which are thus brought before his 
somewhat dulled sensibilities. This he confesses ; and 
then says to his lovely teacher, — at the same time 
extending his arm, and encircling her waist, — that 
since, according to her teaching, all things have their 
hidden as well as their external meaning, he should 
be still more interested if he might know the inner 
sense of the loveliness and language of his companion 
and teacher. 



86 VISIONS OF THE BEYQiYO. 

" To this somewhat playful and personal sally, the 
reply is, 4 All within me is yours that you are capable 
of understanding and receiving; more than this it 
is impossible for me to convey to you in word or 
thought.' Then, laying her hand upon his head, — 
first upon the region of ideality, then upon that of 
sublimity, — she says, 'If these were called more into 
action, you would be able to see more deeply into 
truths and beauties of all kinds. Do you not begin 
to perceive some change in that direction even now, 
as I am standing by you ? ' Then, in answer to his 
question why her influence is so gentle, penetrating, 
and elevating, the reply is, that it is because her life 
has been more in harmony with nature's laws, — she 
having avoided those artificial and baneful habits to 
which he had been a subject. 

" To all this the man replies : * I begin now to 
understand that my life upon the earth was a great 
mistake, and that therefore I am but poorly fitted to 
enter upon that which should be far higher and bet- 
ter. Why even now can not I see the beauties that 
you see in those flowers and other things lovely and 
deep in nature ? ' She now shows him, still more 
clearly, that it is owing largely to his former habits, 
— especially in the use of narcotics and stimulants, — 
that he is thus left blinded to much that is grand 
and lovely now around him." 

And to the seer, the difference between these two 
spirit-forms is of the most marked character, — the 
one being of refined and compact particles, radiating 
clearness and beauty ; whilst the other seems made 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 87 

up of loosely organized material, and all through it 
could be seen, filling the open pores, a dark sub- 
stance, which could be clearly traced as the result of 
former evil practices. All this, he was given to under- 
stand, must be eliminated from his present organism, 
before it would be possible for him to rise into the 
higher conditions ; and this could only be done by 
earnest and active effort both in his own behalf, and 
for those he had left behind, under similar conditions 
of slavery to evil. " ' And now,' says his lovely visi- 
tant, — ' now that you have found out the work you 
have to do, I must leave you. And, when that work 
is faithfully done, you will come to me.' 

" At this declaration, sad surprise and disappoint- 
ment seize hold upon him ; and he feels that he can 
not have it so, as he had depended upon her loving 
presence to aid him in the work. But she, waving 
her hand gracefully but decisively, as she departs, 
replies, that this would not do ; for no one can be 
entitled to the rewards of self-conquest, without the 
individual struggle and victory." And this, we were 
told, is a law of universal application. 

PROPHETIC VISION OF A RELIGIOUS WAR. 

The following grand prophetic vision was given 
to us on the evening of Feb. 21, 1876. It does not 
claim to be an infallible foreshadowing of the future ; 
but is intended simply to represent the prophetic im- 
pressions of advanced minds in the spirit-life, from 
their present outlook upon human affairs. 

" I see a large gathering of people looking with 



88 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

wonder and admiration toward the west. Now I see 
what it is that attracts their attention. A large red- 
looking cloud (signifying blood) is hanging over the 
western horizon; and out from this cloud, toward 
the north, the east, and the south, are seen hands 
that appear to beckon with warning gesture ; and 
voices are heard saying, ' Come, let us reason to- 
gether.' A dark and terrible crisis is manifestly at 
hand, affecting more particularly this western nation, 
— the vanguard of freedom in the progress of the 
world. 

"And now appear arms in the hands of many, 
some even of those beckoning from the spirit-world ; 
whilst others still plead for peace. But the general 
cry is, ' We have waited long, and in vain : there is 
no other way.' A terrible storm of conflict must come 
before the religious atmosphere can be purified and 
made fit for the breathing of free and advancing 
souls. 

" Now from out of the distance appear the gather- 
ing hosts of the religious despots and their victims ; 
the van of which is made up of the compactly organ- 
ized battalions of the Roman Catholic Church. The 
movement has begun in a foreign land; but as it 
advances it gains strength from the blinded adherents 
in our own land, which is now to be the arena of a 
war more terrible even than that which attended 
the downfall of physical bondage. 

"The conflict comes; but who shall attempt its 
full description, with all its terrible details of suffer- 
ing and death ? . . • 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 89 

" The liberal hosts have conquered ; and the scat- 
tered forces of religious bigotry and violence are 
driven back to their strongholds. But they do not, 
as yet, give up their scheme of the conquest, or exter- 
mination of heresy and dissent. Again they rally ; 
again they advance. And this time they carry with 
them a banner of strange and insulting device. It 
is of a blood-red ground ; and on it is pictured a lead- 
ing church prelate, — the genius, apparently, of the 
movement. By his side, led with a chain and held 
by an iron collar, is seen a lank and scraggy wolf, — 
the dog being too noble an animal to represent their 
estimation of their opponents, whose conquest they 
now seem sure of. Great enthusiasm seems to result 
from this significant device, so craftily prepared by 
the leaders. But the desperate rally is in vain. The 
hosts of freedom and progress are again victorious ; 
whilst the leaders and minions of oppression I and 
spiritual darkness are driven back, to return in open 
force no more forever. 1 

" I now ask to get a glimpse of the kind of govern- 
ment which should take the place of the old order of 
things under which came up this religious conflict 
and final triumph. I am enabled, however, to see but 
a little way in that direction ; but one thing is promi- 
nently before my vision : the system of taxation seems 
to be almost wholly superseded by a just and economi- 
cal government, so simply and wisely administered, 
that the friction of the machinery can scarcely be 
perceived. 

1 That is, to this country. On foreign shores, it was intimated 
that it might be long before such wars would cease. 



90 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" The governmental agents are to be but few, and 
of those who act strictly and conscientiously for the 
people whom they represent. They are inspirational 
men, who receive their wisdom from the unseen 
world ; and they dare not act selfishly, conscious as 
they are at all times of the near presence of the wise 
and the good who have gone before. Thus, in this 
new order of things, the reins of government are to 
extend far upward into the regions of exalted wis- 
dom and love." 

In answer to a question, Shall women vote then ? 
the reply was, " Woman must have a voice in govern- 
ment when she has learned her power." 

Subsequently, on going through with our usual 
review, the seer being in her abnormal condition, 
the accuracy of my report was confirmed with espe- 
cial emphasis. Also, in reply to my inquiries, it was 
re-affirmed most decisively, that, from the outlook 
of those who gave the vision, it was very clear that 
something of the kind must take place; and that 
soon, as the opening contentions were already rife on 
both continents. ^It was likewise said that, although 
sad to contemplate, yet that great good would be the 
final result ; that indeed, in no other way could the 
higher advance in governmental affairs take place, 
excepting in such a fearful upheaval of the religious 
world. 

In closing this interview, the controlling intelli- 
gence said, " We have now given you, imperfectly it 
is true, yet just in its main features, a representation 
of individual and of political evils, — the one being 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 91 

an epitome of the other, — and the imperative law by 
which they are to be overcome." 

MOKE OF INDIAN LIFE EST THE SPHERES. 

First an earnest prayer on the part of the seer, 
that her great privilege of a visit to the scenes of 
spirit-life might not be for any selfish purpose, but 
that she might be the means of good to those whom 
she might visit. Then, as if in immediate answer 
to her prayer, she was made to say, — 

" I now seem to be descending into the homes of 
the red men, and soon come upon a group who ap- 
pear to have recently come from the earth-life. 
There is apparently a large mingling of the white 
man's blood in their life. They are a remnant of 
the Narragansett tribe, I think. 

" And now descends to this group a rather stately 
and pretentious-looking personage, who claims to 
have a special mission from the Great Spirit to them. 
In short, he has come to find out how many of them 
belong to the elect, that their names may be regis- 
tered in the ' Lamb's book of life.' But the simple, 
unsophisticated sons of the forest do not seem to be 
much impressed or awed at the imposing message. 
They look at each other, and talk in a low voice, 
some of them saying, ' It is a white man's trick : it is 
no good for red men.' 

" The self-elevated missionary soon sees that he 
can not impress these simple-minded ones as to the 
truth and importance of his claims, and disappears 
from view." 



92 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

Then the seer herself is moved to go near, and 
speak to them of the good Father and his kindly care 
for all his children, the red man as well as the white. 
They soon become interested, especially when she 
tells them that this good Father — the Great Spirit 
of their earthly faith — is in them, often speaking to 
them, telling them of the good and of the bad ; and 
so helping them to grow wise and true, and thus be 
fitted to do good to such as need their help. 

One bright-looking squaw seems to listen with 
especial attention, and to understand* and appreciate 
all that is said, excepting that about helping others. 
She don't exactly know about that ; thinks that all 
should take care of themselves, just as she takes care 
of herself. But, by dint of special explanation and 
persuasion, this squaw is finally induced to make a 
trial, saying, " Me go tell 'em.' So after being 
charged that she must feel kindly, as well as " tell 
'em " what they need, she goes forth to her simple 
and novel work. She soon finds that the doing of 
good to others is the very way to make the inner 
voice speak more clearly to her ; and so she is finally 
made active and happy in her work. And thus the 
seer leaves her — a natural and successful worker for 
the elevation of her own people. 

EST HADES, PREACHING. 

Now the scene changes, and the seer says, — 
" A far different scene is now before me, — a scene 
dark and terrible to my perceptions. Here is degra- 
dation of the lowest stamp. Depraved conditions, 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 93 

coming from various unpropitious surroundings in 
the earthly life, here find their culmination ; and the 
gathering of vicious forces is so dark and revolting, 
that it seems well-nigh impossible for any redeeming 
influences to reach the unhappy victims. And yet I 
am determined to try." 

Her appeal is now direct : " Why, oh ! why is it, 
that you are contented with such dark and disturbed 
surroundings, when there is so much of brightness 
and peace above you ? " One says in reply, " Why, 
we love these our gamblings, our fightings, and all 
that }'ou see going on so jolly." Another, with a 
shade of thoughtfulness on his brow, approaches, and 
says that he has always been in such company, and 
does not know of any thing better. To him the seer 
speaks long and earnestly, in words that seem not 
wholly in vain. 1 

But the work before her is large, and calls for im- 
mediate action. She must have help ; so, in response 
to her earnest prayer, a band of bright sister-spirits 
descend to her aid. The work is one, the repelling 
difficulty of which nothing but the purity and gentle 
love of the higher life can overcome ; but with these 
there is no such thing as a final failure. So these 
sisters labor on, until the last and most desperate case 
is reached, and put in the way of recovery. 

And now these partially redeemed victims of error 
and vice are so raised to the general view, that they 

1 In this, as in many similar instances, although given in full at 
the time by the seer, I found myself unable to repeat the exact 
words, and so have not made the attempt. 



94 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

are made to serve as an illustration of the power of 
good over evil. A class of fastidious-looking stu- 
dents come forward, they having been witnesses of 
the recent successful effort, and upon whom it seems 
to have made some impression. They seem noiv to 
think, that since these gentle and pure spirits could 
thus approach and conquer the lowest debasement 
without personal contamination, it is possible that 
they also might venture upon a similar work. Our 
seer talks bravely and pointedly to these, until finally 
they seem to be getting quite ashamed of their fas- 
tidious inaction, she saying to them, " It is, no doubt, 
a fine thing to be the receivers of wise instruction ; 
but I trust that the time will soon come when you 
will know by experience, that it is more blessed 
to give than to receive." 

A PLEASANT AND INSTRUCTIVE EPISODE. 

Our opening this evening was as follows, the 
address being directly to myself : — 

' ' I beg your pardon for this intrusion ; and yet it is not an 
intrusion, for I have the permission of your spirit-band to come 
and give a brief episode of my own experience, which may have 
an important bearing on an existing error in regard to the laws 
of transition from your earth-sphere to ours of the higher life. 

" It seems to be generally thought with you, that a cessation 
of consciousness, however brief, must necessarily take place at 
the time of the transition. But this I know from happy experi- 
ence is not the case ; for at my own transition the entire pro- 
cess was clearly and minutely watched by my conscious self, as 
calmly and quietly as is the breathing of an infant. And at 
each step leading still more out of the material into the spiritual 
organism, an increasing ecstasy — for no other word can rightly 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 95 

express the feeling — infolded the consciousness still more and 
more in its enrapturing embrace. No experience of mortal life 
can be justly compared with this, excepting perhaps that of a 
successful entrancement to the subject of it. 

" It is true that in certain exceptional cases, prompted by 
some unnatural cause in the individual history, unconsciousness 
may exist for a very long period, reaching even to centuries in 
some extreme instances. But in most cases, as they usually 
prevail, the unconsciousness is of very brief duration, and even 
this is simply a kind of magnetic condition induced by benefi- 
cent spirit attendants to protect the subject from the painfully 
exciting scenes which are of very frequent occurrence at what is 
called the death-bed. But the greatest quiet should prevail at 
that time; and if this could be maintained, and if the previous 
life of the departing individual has been reasonably in harmony 
with natural law, then the departure might be one of a quiet 
and conscious unrobing one's self of the coarser outer gar- 
ment, and amid the most delightful surroundings imaginable. 
And here I wish to say that my own happy experience in this 
respect, was owing largely to the fact, that when my departure 
took place I was entirely alone, so far as mortal company was 
concerned; my attendant having left me for some brief purpose, 
and during this absence my release was rather unexpectedly and 
quickly accomplished. 

' ' And now I would make this as a very important suggestion : 
if the friends present on such occasions find themselves unable 
to practice the quiet self-control so essential to the easy release, 
or rather the delightful ebbing away of mortal life, they had bet- 
ter by far wholly leave the room until the joyful transition is 
over. 

" I regard these thoughts, and also my own positive testi- 
mony upon the subject, as having an important bearing upon 
the well-being of humanity; audi should therefore be greatly 
obliged if you would take such means as may be at your com- 
mand to bring them to the public notice." 

1 Published accordingly in the Banner of Light of April 15, 1876. 



96 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

Then comes what follows, which, notwithstanding 
its somewhat private and personal character, I give 
that others as well as myself may be benefited by the 
wisely adapted lesson it contains : — 

" It may rejoice you to know that there is a gentle 
and loving woman standing near you, who says she 
was once your earthly companion. She gives me 
greetings of love for you, with this message : ' Love, 
order, and harmony are your necessities. You must 
endeavor so to embody these in your inner being, 
that you will not be disturbed by the opposites in 
your external surroundings.' " 

The influence of the intelligence from whom and 
through whom the above communications were given 
was very pleasant to both the seer and myself. What 
he said also seems to be in harmony with the simpli- 
city and clearness of elevated wisdom. He declined 
giving his earthly name, as being unimportant ; but, 
in giving me his farewell benediction, he called him- 
self " a brother in the ministry." 

LOVE AND ITS RELATIONS HERE AND IN THE 
HEREAFTER. 

The rest of this evening's work, as well as the 
whole of the preceding, related to the great subjects 
of love, marriage, and the right generation of chil- 
dren. Circumstances prevented me from writing out 
at the time what was thus given us ; but with the 
aid of my impressional capacity, which I am fully 
conscious is effectually used in such cases, I feel that 
I shall now be able to recall the essential parts of 



SPTRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 97 

what was received, that the important thoughts 
imparted may not be wholly lost to others, should 
our intention of giving the results of our labors to 
the public be carried out. 

On the first of these evenings there was a vision 
as follows: — 

" I see a grand, patriarchal-looking tree of vastly 
extended dimensions. But instead of the usual foli- 
age of green, its branches and leaves are transparent, 
and glisten with the translucent light of the spirit- 
atmosphere. 

" Now I perceive that this tree symbolizes the 
human family ; that, even as the life-current of the 
tree pervades every twig and leaflet, so the divine 
spirit of love should pervade every pulsation of hu- 
man life. And as no branch or twig of this sym- 
metrical tree can be injured without marring its 
general beauty and perfection, so can no member of 
the family of man, however insignificant, be injured 
without the infliction of a similar injury upon human- 
ity at large." 

And now followed a most interesting discourse 
concerning the relations of the sexes, true and false, 
and the results of the same, from which I recall and 
record as follows : — 

All souls, by virtue of their original constitution, 
are rightly mated ; or, in other words, each has a true 
counterpart somewhere within the ranges of human 
life. But, under our present imperfect conditions, 
such rightly-mated ones but seldom meet and blend 
their lives whilst still in this earthly and preliminary 



98 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

state. When, however, they at length enter the 
spirit-world, and thus come more directly under the 
control of the law of spiritual attractions, they begin 
to be drawn strongly toward, and must eventually 
find, each other ; and then ever after they remain as 
one. 

It is true that each has his or her especial and 
appropriate work to do, and in doing this they may 
sometimes be said to be apart, but they are never 
separated. This is even as is the case when our 
hands and arms are used : they may be extended 
more or less widely apart, but they are still united in 
the truest sense, the sensations of both being still 
impressed upon a common brain-center. 

The special delights of this perfect union of the 
sexes in the spirit-world consist mainly of mental and 
spiritual ecstasies somewhat like those resulting from 
a harmony of sounds or colors in the earthly life, only 
intensified and to a degree wholly inconceivable by 
those still in the mortal body. Such wonderful 
experiences are the natural results of ' perfectly 
blended and highly refined spiritual adaptations; 
and they may be regarded as the final heritage of 
every human being. It is true that in a large pro- 
portion of instances, centuries of our earthly time 
may elapse before the perfection of this state may be 
reached ; but it must finally be the realized destiny 
of all. 

It was also declared that the time would come 
when the earth and the spirit conditions would be 
brought so nearly together, that there would be an 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 99 

almost constant blending of the personal experiences 
of those in each ; in other words, when the now ex- 
traordinary gifts of our present seer would become 
the rule rather than exception. Then truly mated 
souls would so feel the unerring force of spiritual 
laws, even while on the earth, that they would find 
each other though born into life in the most widely 
separated lands. Toward this condition the human 
race is now slowly but surely progressing ; and noth- 
ing can be better fitted to hasten the tendency, than 
a right understanding and practice of the laws of 
sexual life. 

A ZEALOT SPEAKS UPON THE SUBJECT. 

The second of the evenings also opened with a vis- 
ion as follows : — 

" I seem to be at the lower extreme of a long pro- 
cession, made up of all conditions and ages, all aim- 
ing at a special point of interest, which seems to be 
at a summit in the distance. A gay and careless dis- 
position prevails with most, until a given point in the 
progress is reached ; when all seem struck with a sad 
or serious look. As this point of experience has 
already been passed by me [alluding to an incident 
already given, and interpreted as something like a 
personal day of judgment], I leave it behind, and go 
on to the summit ; and here is opened before me 
a most appalling view of the sad condition of the 
earth, in regard to that most important event in 
human life, — the coming together of the sexes in 
what should be for a right propagation of the race." 



100 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

At this point Mrs. Loucks was directly and posi- 
tively controlled by a spirit, hitherto unknown to us, 
who was, as it were, the sentinel of the post. His 
zeal seemed to be raised to the highest pitch of 
enthusiastic, almost fanatical denunciation of the 
glaring and ruinous abuses in this respect, prevail- 
ing so generally in the earthly life. His manner was 
quite oratorical and vehement, — very different in- 
deed from the usual methods of speech exhibited 
through this mediumistic channel. He seemed to 
look wholly on the dark side of the abuse in ques- 
tion, denouncing those as criminals, who, not being 
of serious mind and sound body, should dare to take 
the responsibility of bringing into life similar un- 
sound specimens of humanity. Such was the gen- 
eral strain of quite an extended discourse, of which I 
am now able to give only this very imperfect report. 

I felt strongly impressed to take issue with this 
perhaps somewhat over-zealous spirit, in regard to 
some of his extreme positions; and, after some little 
discussion of the matter, he was finally led to ac- 
knowledge that in some respects his utterances might 
require modification. 

The particular view of the case presented by my- 
self was somewhat like this : if it be indeed true, as 
has already been given us, that the starting-point of 
individualized life is only in preliminary worlds like 
our own, and through means which, like all other of 
our earthly gifts, are liable to great abuse ; still, tak- 
ing life as a whole, — extending indefinitely as it 
does into the higher and ever-brightening regions of 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 101 

the spirit-world, — is not, after all, any beginning of 
life a beneficence to the individual subject? and, if so, 
can those, even of very imperfect conditions, who, 
following blindly the instincts of nature, thus present 
to the world undesirable additions to our race, be 
justly denounced as criminals ? On the contrary, is 
there not a high wisdom seen even in the very dark- 
est of this blind action of human instinct; since the 
evils are but temporary, and disciplinary or educa- 
tional in their nature, whilst the benefits are of a 
positive and ever-enduring character ? 

Before concluding our seance, in response to my 
call the leading intelligence of our band came, and 
made the needed explanations and modifications. It 
was thus said that the control of to-night was entirely 
a new one, whose work was very important, notwith- 
standing the strong tendency toward extremes mani- 
fested. Other explanatory remarks followed, which 
seemed to leave the matter rightly modified and con- 
firmed. 

SPECIAL PRIVILEGE DAY. 

This evening, owing to the somewhat exhausted 
condition of the seer, the special effort intended to 
be made was omitted, and quite a different turn 
given to our exercises. The occasion was called 
44 special privilege day," by the controlling intelli- 
gence of our band; and quite a number of those 
more or less nearly connected with it, and from 
whom heretofore we had received nothing of a direct 
and personal character, were now permitted to come 
and try their powers of controlling and communicating 
through the mediumistic capacity of our seer. 



102 VfSrONS OF THE BEYOND. 

First came her niece Ella, who had passed into 
the spirit-life many years ago, — an infant of only 
four days old. She had now, through her education 
in the spirit-spheres, become quite intelligent and 
progressed. But, although thus greatly matured and 
.advanced as to her real character and position, yet 
when coming, as now, into earthly nearness to friends, 
she assumed — naturally, doubtless, if not necessarily 
— the character of a young and playful child. So 
now she tried to tell us all about the schools she 
had been going to, although by way of correction 
she said that it was really all school to herself and 
companions in that happy life, as they always had a 
teacher with them to point out the beauties, the 
•composition, and uses of the objects of interest ever 
.around them. Much more was said in a similar 
strain, — it being a singular and very interesting 
mingling of a high wisdom with the winning simpli- 
city of childhood. 

Then came one who evidently failed in the at- 
tempted control, and soon gave place to a shrewd but 
Jionest Irishman, who had much to say about the 
church to which he had belonged in his earthly life. 
He still seemed to retain somewhat largely of his 
former attachment to the old church. He now 
thought that it was all right as to its real and true 
self. Still he admitted that so much crookedness 
and corruption had got into it, that he did not think 
much of the old church as it now is. At length, 
after holding a somewhat lengthy and humorous 
conversation with me, he finally came to the con- 



SPIRIT SIGHTS AND SYMBOLS. 103 

elusion, that, if all the rotten timbers were to be 
taken out of it, what would remain would be hardly 
worth preserving. 

Next came a kind, motherly colored woman, who, 
as to her earthly condition, had been a slave until 
about twelve years previous to her entrance to the 
spirit-world. She had had a kind mistress, however, 
who finally set her free ; and then — somewhat to 
her surprise — she had found the world harder for 
her than while she was a slave. But still she did by 
no means regret the change, as she knew that freedom 
was better for her than slavery, even if it was harder 
for her to get along in that way. At any rate, she 
did not see why freedom was not just as good for 
the black as for the white. 

Both of these last said that they were connected 
with our band as the special servants or helpers of 
the higher controlling intelligences, and that there 
were many more employed in the same capacity. 

The more important work of these subordinate 
helpers was to keep a watch over the seer, or me- 
dium, so as to shield her capacity from injurious 
intrusions during the absence of the wisely ordered 
controlling intelligences of our band. It was the 
shrewd and intelligent Irish spirit who gave me this 
last item of intelligence. But he seemed to think that 
there was an important distinction between this and 
the usual service of the earthly life ; for here, as he 
said, he was not required to act blindly in matters 
of duty, but was permitted to see and understand 
the most of what he was required to do. 



104 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

Both of these spirit-persons exhibited very striking 
personal peculiarities, and also decided marks of in- 
tegrity and fidelity, — characteristics especially suited 
to their work. 

The rest of the evening was devoted to a most de- 
lightful intercourse with near personal friends, now 
of the spirit-realms, — a privilege which only comes 
to us at somewhat rare intervals. But such details 
belong not to the general public. 

In closing, it was announced by the controlling 
influence, that a cessation of our efforts would now 
take place for a short time, for needed rest and 
recreation. 



CHAPTER VI. 

HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. — AN ASY- 
LUM FOR THE UNFORTUNATE. 

" I am now," said the seer, " to visit some of the 
hospitals, or healing helps of the spirit-world. The 
first of these seems to be located over the equatorial 
parts of the earth. It is what might be called an 
asylum for the unbalanced of mind, who had also been 
somewhat crippled in body whilst in the earth-life. 

44 What appears to be an ambulance is now before 
me. It has all the usual appliances for controlling 
such a vehicle, and there seem to be real horses 
attached to it. Also it has the appearance of being 
drawn upon a solid surface like the earth. 

" In this ambulance are to be seen persons in the 
various stages of monomania, or some kind of disar- 
rangement of normal conditions. And, although the 
difficulty is now mainly of a mental character, yet 
the old bodily disability is still with many of the 
subjects, but simply as a hallucination of the spirit- 
life. 

" These persons I see in various positions ; some 
reclining, some lying down, and some sitting up, 
though quite languidly. 

105 



106 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

"But I now perceive that these invalids do not 
properly belong to this locality, as the elements 
needed by them are not to be found here. Hence 
they are being driven away in that ambulance, into 
regions better fitted to their condition. 

. . . "What splendidly beautiful scenery is that 
in which they have now arrived ! Its effects upon 
me are inspiring in the extreme ; and I do not won- 
der, as I observe the effects upon the invalids. One 
of them is actually getting upon his feet ! and 
others, stimulated by the same buoyant atmosphere, 
and by his exclamations of surprise and. delight, 
soon follow his example ; and so on, until all are so 
vitalized by the bracing air and the beautiful sur- 
roundings, that they leave the ambulance, being now 
abundantly able to use the natural locomotion of the 
spirit-body. 

" All but one are now gone ; some of them being 
seen rejoicing and frolicking in the distance. But this 
poor man is still lying, in almost utter stupidity, at 
the bottom of the ambulance. It seems almost as if 
his were a hopeless case. A soldier was he, wounded, 
and finally dying of starvation in the Libby Prison. 
What can I do for him ? I will go near, and try to 
arouse him with my human voice ; for it may be that 
this will do what all the spirit-appliances have thus 
far failed to accomplish." 

Now followed an earnest and direct appeal to the 
unfortunate victim. As in other cases of a somewhat 
similar character, the memory of the past suffering 
still remained with this poor soldier, but only as a 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 107 

mental illusion, the actual having passed away with 
the earthly body. He was still haunted with the 
thought that he was starving and about to die. And 
to drive this thought away from his enfeebled and 
bewildered mind, all was said that could be said by 
our seer ; and finally with effect ; for the poor fellow 
is at length made to see that he is no longer starving 
in an earthly prison, but is now a freed and trium- 
phant spirit. 

And, now that the use of the ambulance was ended, 
it seemed gradually to dissolve and disappear. 

Immediately after, the seer returns to the main 
hospital locality, and is allowed somewhat closely to 
examine its condition and methods of action. She 
finds that the leading idea is to allow the morbidly 
conditioned to work out their hallucination in as easy 
and natural a way as possible. 

Several illustrations of this were given in detail, 
only one of which I will attempt to repeat. A man 
with a large inventive genius, and decidedly meclium- 
istic, was so impressed in a certain direction by those- 
of similar tendencies in the spirit-life, that, not hav- 
ing the appliances within his reach for the accom- 
plishment of the desired end, he becomes mentally 
unbalanced, and leaves the earth a monomaniac. 
But on his entrance into the spirit-life, being taken 
into this wisely-adapted sanitary home, and being 
here furnished with the means of going through 
with his perplexing problem, the work is soon done, 
and he finds the needed rest and change. Other 
wisely-directed exercises of his powers follow, until 
eventually all is cleared up and rightly balanced. 



108 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 



A REFUGE FOR CHILD-SPIRITS. 

Another vision in the words of the seer : — 
" I seem to be descending the slope of a hill. Now 
I come to a river. It is not deep, and the waters are 
clear and sparkling. I am helped over by invisible 
hands. Now I ascend an opposite slope until I come 
to a lake, or large pond. Now I pass rapidly on, in 
close connection with the earth-scenery, until I ap- 
proach the ocean. Here, located near to the earth, 
even within its atmosphere, I see a hospital, or a 
remedial institution, very different from the other. 
It is for infants of premature birth, whose condition 
is not sufficiently advanced to enable them rightly to 
appropriate the nutriment of the spirit-atmosphere. 
Hence they have to remain for a while in close 
proximity to the earthly means of growth, until their 
forms are sufficiently matured to allow of their being 
taken into the higher regions of the spirit-life, where, 
by virtue of their innocence, they properly belong. 

" What an interesting sight is before me ! That 
kind, motherly matron, or nurse, how tenderly and 
lovingly does she minister to the frail constitution of 
the little ones of her charge ! I want some of them 
to come to me. I want this one, and that, and then 
another ; but especially do I want that smallest one 
of all, who is held so closely to the matron's bosom. 
But she seems unwilling to let me have that one, 
though all the others are freely at my disposal. So 
I see that even here are favorites, as is the case with 
us of earth. But, on being told that I have some- 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 109 

thing to give it, she finally puts the little one in 
my arms for a moment ; and it thus receives a much- 
needed magnetism of the earthly kind, for which, 
more than for all else, it was pining. 

" I ask the matron if she does not want me for an 
assistant ; but she says it is not time yet for me to 
take up that kind of work, but that I have some- 
thing more important to do while I retain my bodily 
connection with the earth. 

" When I ask her what would be the result if 
these imperfectly embodied little ones were to be 
immediately taken to their higher condition, without 
this special treatment within the atmosphere and in- 
fluences of the earth, her reply is, that they would 
then dwindle, rather than expand in their forms, 
until there should be left no sufficient enshrinement 
for an immortal life." 

ARE ALL HUMAN LTFE-GERMS IMMORTAL ? 

In the answer as given above, it seems to be im- 
plied that there is a possibility of a non-immortality 
of some of the immature forms of infant life. From 
subsequent inquiry, especially when in communica- 
tion with wise ones of the spirit-life, I have been led 
to results which I will now briefly state. 

All corporeal forms of human life must find their 
origin in this, or some other of the material worlds 
of the universe, which may be regarded as the seed- 
beds of individual and rational life; incarnated, as 
such must be, through the process of conception and 
birth, — dual parents, being the essential agents of 



110 VISIONS OF TUK BEYOND. 

the work. The life-spark itself is an emanation 
from the infinite Sun of the spiritual universe ; but 
the human individualization is found to take place 
at the very moment of a full and healthy conception. 
From this time the germ retains its individual life- 
force ; there being henceforth, with certain possible 
exceptions, no such thing as death or annihilation ; 
but only growth and expansion into still higher con- 
ditions of life, especially as it is found in the illimit- 
able Beyond. 

But this careful preservation and sure growth of 
the individual life-germs — received, as they often 
are, in their immaturity into the spirit-world — are 
secured only through wisely adapted and faithfully 
administered means. But so wise and complete is 
the provision thus made in the spirit-spheres, that a 
failure from this source is well-nigh impossible. 

There is, however, another reason why a full em- 
bodiment of the human form — and with this the 
perfection of the life-principle — may fail as to its 
perfect results ; and that is the want of a fullness 
of healthy life-force as primarily imparted to the em- 
bryonic germ itself. In other words, from various 
inauspicious causes, the life-spark thus imparted 
may be so frail and flickering, that extinguishment, 
not expansion, may be the final result ; and this in 
spite of all the gentle care that may be given to it as 
it is received into the prepared conditions of the 
spirit-life. 

The conclusion thus reached is, that although an 
ever-expanding personal being, from the earliest 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. Ill 

stages of conception, is the general law, yet in cer- 
tain unpropitious and rare instances it is possible 
that the opposite may be the result. 

" ICTTABOD." 

Unfavorable conditions again, which interfered 
with the higher efforts constantly kept in view by 
our band. So now comes one whose special work 
seems to be to throw a cheerful, sometimes an amus- 
ing influence around us. This spirit calls himself 
" Ichabod," and is often with us, apparently to drive 
away depression and to give a needed buoyancy to 
mental conditions. I give the substance of this one 
instance as a sample of his general method of doing 
his work for us. 

Obtaining a direct control of the medium, he at 
first spoke in a pompous and oratorical style, fitted 
to lead me into a momentary belief that some new 
and important unseen influence had visited us. But 
soon there was a decided and somewhat ludicrous 
collapse into the usual style of Ichabod, when he 
spoke about as follows : — 

u Somehow, ever since I have been connected with 
this band, I have felt strongly inclined to use once 
more my powers of speech, even if I did have to bor- 
row the organs of another for the purpose. And 
some time I mean to take this medium out into the 
public, and make her give up her foolish fears, and 
speak out some of the lessons she has been receiving. I 
myself feel very much like speaking out the thoughts 
of my mind, that I may have room to get others in ! 



112 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

And some time I mean to have a medium of my own, 
that I may do so. But here I am only Ichabod, come 
to put the machine in order." 

The effort, however, did not succeed to the extent 
required ; so we were compelled to do without our 
higher lesson for the present. 

A CLAIRVOYANT VISIT TO EARTHLY KINDRED. 

The first thing accomplished this evening was a 
visit, clairvoyantly or otherwise, of Mrs. Loucks to 
her brother in New Hampshire. She seemed to have 
a long talk with him on spiritual subjects. Some of 
the details of this talk she gave to me after her re- 
turn to the normal condition. It is probable, that, to 
the brother, the visitation seemed to be only a dream ; 
as, making due allowance for the variation of time, 
it must have been after the usual bedtime at her 
brother's home. 

Other instances of a similar character have occurred 
in our experience, from all of which I have reason to 
believe in the general correctness of Mrs. Loucks's 
clairvoyant vision, if indeed she does not actually 
visit in spirit the earthly as well as the heavenly 
scenes described by her. 

OUR SPIRIT FRIENDS FORMING ACQUAINTANCESHIP. 

After this, we had some pleasant visits from spirit 
friends, among the more especially prominent of 
whom were my wife in the spirit-world and Mrs. 
Loucks's mother. The former of these was seen stand- 
ing with her hand upon my shoulder, and telling the 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. H3 

latter that I was her husband in her earthly life, 
which was the reason of her present nearness to me. 

The other responded by telling how long she had 
been in the spirit-world, and how little was known 
of any such methods of return whilst she was in the 
body-form ; and hence, for a long time after her en- 
trance here, she was almost agonizing for some way 
in which she could reach the friends she had left 
behind. 

This was the first time we had received a direct 
visit from Mrs. Loucks's mother ; and hence, as seems 
probable, it was the first time she had been brought 
into direct personal contact with my own spirit- 
friends, with one of whom, as we have just seen, she 
had thus improved the opportunity of becoming per- 
sonally acquainted, in the natural and easy manner 
of such circumstances, prevailing, as we may reason- 
ably infer, in the spirit as well the earthly condition. 

Before closing, Mrs. Loucks had a beautifully sig- 
nificant vision for her own encouragement. She saw 
herself looking small, like a child, yet with a very 
large floral crown over her head. She was told that 
she would yet grow as to her spiritual life, so that 
the magnificent crown would fit her, and be her 
portion. 

SILENT SEANCES, AND WHY. 

Our last two seances, including the one of this 
evening, have been passed almost wholly in silence. 
Near the close of this, the bright and lively Ella 
came, and said that she had been sent to tell us why 
it was that we had been obliged to remain so silent 



114 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

and stupid. She said that she was prompted by those 
who had sent her, to say that the mind is like a' watch, 
which, after a certain amount of wear and accumulated 
waste matter, needed to be cleansed and put again 
into an easy running order ; and something like this 
it was which had now been done for us. 

The same view of the case was subsequently given 
to us directly by the guiding intelligence of our band ; 
who gave us to understand, that although the work 
was not yet fully completed, yet that what still re- 
mained could be accomplished without any material 
interruption of our regular work ; and therefore two 
more seances were appointed for the present week. 

A HEALTH INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. 

. "I am now to visit a remedial health-institution 
for boys. It is for those whose brains were in a dis- 
turbed, unbalanced condition at the time of their 
leaving the earth-life. Many of these are .the victims 
of self-abuse, an evil which has in many cases been 
transmitted to them through hereditary law, from 
several generations of this kind of evil indulgence. 
It is an evil which to this class of humanity especially 
is hardly to be exceeded by any of the vicious courses 
of life. 

" Here, in the spirit-life, the methods employed to 
restore the lost balance coming from such a wasting 
of the life-force are most wisely adapted to the end 
in view. The surroundings are so arranged that there 
is nothing to encourage the old tendency, and every 
thing to call into action the higher and more unused 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 115 

portions of the brain. There are none of the oppo- 
site sex to be seen, nor any thing suggestive of them. 

" I am now shown into a schoolroom in which are 
thirty of these boys, — averaging in age from six to 
fourteen years. The teacher is giving some lessons 
upon what seem to be much like the blackboards 
of our earthly schools. The pupils soon tire of these 
exercises, which seem to be of a mathematical char- 
acter ; and ask if they may not resume what they 
had been doing before. 

"I watch them with renewed interest as they are 
now engaged at their favorite work. Each One soon 
has a supply of flowers on his desk, which he is eagerly 
weaving into different shapes of floral beauty. They 
even seem to have power to create these flowers, 
through a chemical combination known only in the 
spirit-life ; and thus, in arranging their bouquets, 
the flowers can be made to fit into their places as the 
taste of the worker may dictate ! My attention is 
directed to one little fellow who is especially skilled 
in this art. He is now giving the finishing touches 
to a white lily of exquisite purity and beauty. This 
boy is not of the class already named, but seems to 
have become the victim of an overgrown condition 
of the organs of combativeness and destructiveness, 
that is, according to the earthly methods of phreno- 
logical classification ; but here they have a far more 
perfect system, but which cannot be clearly under- 
stood by those in the mortal life. 

" As this boy is busily employed at his interesting 
work, so arranged to his taste that it tends to divert 



116 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

his mind and keep inactive the overgrown organs, — 
I perceive that occasionally something like a spas- 
modic throb of that portion of the brain takes place ; 
and then starting up, he seems to look quickly back 
as if he would hit somebody. But soon he is drawn 
back again to his remedial employment ; and thus in 
due time the morbid condition will pass wholly away, 
and a healthy and harmonious life be established. 

" But the great aim of this institution is to afford 
a much-needed help to the unfortunate class first 
named ; a class who are far more sadly disordered 
than any others to be seen here. The spirit-forms 
of this class appear to be wanting in some of the 
most vital qualities of a healthy condition. As I 
look at them, the comparison between theirs and a 
truly healthy organization most naturally suggested, 
is the difference between a green leaf in full vigor 
of growth, and such a leaf after it has been dipped 
in scalding water. 

" On this class of subjects two forms of remedy 
are used; one the plan of diverting the brain-force 
to such employments as are best fitted for the pur- 
pose in view, and the other a positive method of 
restraint from the ruinous habit. In one case, which 
may be regarded as illustrative of the usual treat- 
ment pursued here, I see both these methods com- 
bined. In this case — a most sad and desperate one 
it seems to be — the positive restraint consists in the 
wearing upon the hands of the victim what have the 
appearance of being bright metallic flowers, so 
pointed and sharp as necessarily to deter from a 
renewed attempt at the old habit. 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 117 

" My attention is now directed to another, a very 
peculiar and striking case of the malformation of a 
brain, there being a depression extending from one 
ear to the other, so deep that the subject almost 
seems to be possessed of two brains, one the back, 
and the other the front part of the head. Thus in 
the regions of ideality, sublimity, and veneration, 
there is almost a total extinction of vital action. 
With this subject, something like a regular mechani- 
cal apparatus is being used, so fitted as to press al- 
ternately, first heavily and then lightly, upon the 
misshapen parts. Through this process, aided by an 
electric force which goes with the action, a gradual 
re-action of the shrunken brain-tissue is induced, 
which will be a fair starting-point for the final re- 
covery aimed at. 

" These three methods, mechanical action, a posi- 
tive artificial restraint, and an objective diversion of 
the faculties, constitute the main appliances of the 
remedial institution I have now surveyed." 

In answer to a question, it was said that in all 
such cases of abnormal and unsound condition there 
is a natural law of the spirit-life, through which a 
recovery would finally take place ; but that by spe- 
cial efforts thus made, the recovery was greatly has- 
tened, and thus much good accomplished both for 
the individual and the general good. 

A MYSTIC RIVER : ITS ORIGIN AND USES. 

The vision of to-night was as follows : — 

" I stand in the midst of grand and beautiful scene- 



118 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ry. In a central part of it is a healing fount or 
spring, which seems to have a special power to 
quicken the vision of those who use it. Also, when 
applied to weak spines, the water seems to have 
power to remove the weakness. I ask to have the 
water applied to me, that my vision may be quick- 
ened; but am told that that is not what I need, but 
only that by quiet surroundings the lenses of my vis- 
ion, so to speak, may become steady and clear for use. 

" I pass on farther ; I see what appears to be an 
encampment of travelers, many of them resting in 
the cooling shades. But for me there is no rest here. 

" I now come to a stream — a river it may be called. 
It is of a very unusual rapidity of current, and of 
great brilliancy of color. I can not make out exactly 
what is the composition of this current. It has a sil- 
very look, and the motion is not only forward, but 
also in graceful curves and evolution. At present I 
can see no especial use for this stream, but to add to 
the beauty of the scenery ; and yet I feel that there is 
another use for it. I follow it up to the foot of a 
mountain where it seems to have its source, but find 
that it extends through and beyond the mountain. 
And now I perceive that from the summit of the 
mountain there is a shaft descending to the waters 
of the river beneath. Around the opening of this 
shaft, on the summit of the mountain, gathers a 
cloudlike mist ; and this I find to be the real source 
of the river, also that this actual source of the river 
is caused by the will force of angelic wisdom. And 
this concentration of the higher will-force, assuming 



HEALING HELPS OF THE HEREAFTER. 119 

first the form of a cloud-like mist, then descending 
through the shaft, and forming a geni-like stream, 
which being parted in the center, flows both ways 
from the mountain in a rapid cascade-like current 
through the landscape scenery on either side. 

" I now take my stand by the side of the stream, 
and soon see another use than that of beauty for its 
waters. Dark-featured, Oriental-looking forms gather 
upon its banks, and plunge in with a homelike feel- 
ing ; and on coming out on the other side, they seem 
to be greatly transformed in their expression. The 
effect is that of a religious rite to which they have 
been accustomed in their earthly experience. As 
they emerge they have an upturned and reverent 
look, and seem now to be fitted for a rapid progress 
in the onward and upward life. They have found 
out., that although it is only an emblematic stream 
through which they have passed, yet that through 
this they received a right preparation for a final em- 
bodiment of the thing signified in their own personal 
lives. 

"All are now gone but one of stately, princely 
mien. He has a turban upon his head, and wears a 
robe of rich texture and various colors. He scorns 
to take the course of the common people, and is 
waiting to be received by some royal deputation, as 
has been his wont while upon the earth. He seems 
astonished and disappointed that no such reception 
is tendered him. He has waited long and in vain, 
and now seems almost utterly discouraged, and ready 
to throw himself backward into the ingulfing stream. 



120 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

The soul-crushing discovery has at length dawned 
upon him, that, after all, he is but a man like the 
others, and that he, as well as they, must submit to 
the inevitable conditions of spiritual growth. He 
can hardly understand this. What ! he, a prince of 
absolute rule, who has ever been accustomed to con- 
trol conditions, must he now submit to the same hu- 
miliating test as the common crowd who had gone 
before him? He throws off his turban, strips him- 
self of his gorgeous clothing, and throws himself 
prostrate with mingled indignation and despair. I 
pity him ; for he does not seem to be particularly to 
blame for his mistaken ideas of his own natural supe- 
riority. It is what has been an inevitable part of 
his earthly position and growth. And it is indeed a 
bitter lesson he is now receiving. 

" All this while, not far in the distance, have been 
the bright forms of compassionate spirits from the 
higher conditions, who have been, unconsciously to 
him, his active helpers in the severe struggle, sending 
rays of light into every accessible part of his brain. 
And not in vain have they done this; for now at 
length is the man so enlightened and humbled that 
he is ready — though still with a half-disguised shade 
of his native haughtiness — to begin, through humble 
and faithful effort, and to go forward in what must 
be to him the slow pathway of progress. For they 
who would be externally great upon earth must pay 
for it in the world of spirit-life ; as it is a far harder 
task for such, than it is for the common people, to 
obey the inexorable laws of spiritual growth." 



CHAPTER Vn. 

A. BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. — THE THREE PILGRIMS. 

" Oh the water ! so pure and peaceful it looks ! 
As it gurgles along in its course, it seems to speak of 
contentment and joy. And the modest and lovely 
flowers I see along its banks, and the leafy shrubs, 
and the tapering trees, with their spiral leaves point- 
ing upwards as if in conscious gratitude to the Giver 
of all life, that of the tree and flower no less than 
that of the animal and of man, — himself the crown 
of all, — and all these leaflets and flowers, — how 
steady and earnestly they turn themselves to the 
light ! Shall it be less so with man ? shall he of 
all else seek the way of darkness rather than of 
light? 

" Three weary travelers I now see, toiling on be- 
neath burdens, — not of things of value, not of 
choice gems of truth and beauty, but of the dry 
sticks of a worn-out theology, which was fastened 
upon them by unprincipled and arbitrary priestly 
rule while they were yet in the earth-life. True 
men were these even in their darkened earthly con- 
dition, for they saw not the iniquity of the power 
that held them in a blind and slavish submission. 

121 



122 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

They worked faithfully and self-sacrificingly to carry- 
out the designs of those, who, though ever ready to 
impose burdens upon others, would hardly lift a 
finger to do the work themselves. 

" And now I see that one of these pilgrims begins 
to awaken to a sense of the folly of his course in thus 
continuing to bear his wearying and worthless bur- 
den when the higher and clearer light of the spirit- 
life is around him. He feels the inspiration of high 
and noble spirits not far from him ; and, thus urged 
on, he throws off his slavish burden, and stands forth 
a free and happy man. The others, incited by his 
example, and by the inspiring power which they also 
feel, do likewise. 

" And now the same active zeal which was once 
used to uphold the rule of a false and corrupt church 
is turned with all its force to overthrow the falsities 
that once oppressed these noble spirits. In their in- 
visible forms, they re-enter the old confessionals, and 
whisper to the presiding priests of their iniquitous 
lives, and of the terrible penalties of their falsehoods 
and oppressions. They even penetrate to the head 
center of their former enslaving power, and make 
their searching whispers heard by him who sits upon 
the papal throne itself. 

" It was a martyr's life these true men lived while 
upon the earth; and it is a martyr's crown they are 
now receiving in doing their noble work to under- 
mine the false, and to upbuild the true, in the scenes 
of their former toils and sufferings." 

In closing this evening's sdance it was said, " I see 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 123 

a large book before me, the first leaf of which we 
have now read. It is the book of human lives : other 
chapters from this book will be given in the further 
unfolding of our work." 

THE LOVE-TYRANT AND HIS YICTEM. 

This evening we had another leaf from the book of 
human lives, as follows : — 

"I see before me, on a broad platform, a large, 
thick-set man, with a military cap upon his head, and 
a naked sword in his hand. Around his neck are 
intwined the delicate arms of a gentle woman, who 
seems to be entreating him not to go away to the war 
as he had threatened. But no impression appears to 
be made upon the man by her entreaties and tears. 
On the contrary, he seems to take a selfish delight 
in thus showing his power to wring her soul with 
anguish; and all because of her slavish love for him. 

" She bears his selfish triumph for a while, and 
then stands back, — at first with bowed head and 
thoughtful brow ; but now, with extended arm and 
significant gesture, she gives him to understand that 
his triumph has reached its limits, for that she is not 
entirely the weak and yielding thing he had supposed. 
She says to him, ' This has gone far enough. I will 
no longer submit to have my finer feelings so tram- 
pled upon and crushed. I ' have a power within me 
of which you have no conception, — a power that 
will now be fully manifested; for a voice has re- 
vealed to me that my love, as well as yours, has 
been a selfish one; for it has been because of my 



124 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

fondness of being loved and petted, that I have thus 
far submitted to your selfish love whose great delight 
has been to play the tyrant-master. It is time that 
we both learn the lesson of true love more wisely. 
I am now called away : I elude your selfish grasp, 
pass wholly out of your reach, and leave you to your- 
self/ 

" At this unexpected and astounding declaration, 
the man first turns slightly pale, but still continues 
to speak with self-confidence and even derision to his 
companion. But soon, seeing how earnest and real 
is the scene before him, he begins to tremble v and 
reaches forth with a vain endeavor to stay the de- 
parture of her whose value to him he begins now 
clearly to see. But she — passing upward in robes 
of pure white — seems to be wholly leaving him; 
and yet I can see that there is a bond still holding 
them together, though distantly for the present. As 
she is about to vanish from my vision, I see a look 
of unutterable sweetness and love turned toward 
him. 

" I now return, and am, for the time, personally en 
rapport with the unfortunate man who has thus 
grieved, and driven from his visible presence, the 
only one who ever truly cared for him. I take his 
place, and seem to see with his vision, and take upon 
me his thoughts and feelings. ' Why, oh, why have 
I thus killed with my selfish tyranny, and driven 
away from me, her who was the light of my life ? Oh ! 
could I but call back her bright face, I would humbly 
kneel before her, and ask pardon of her and of her 
God. 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 125 

" But now I am made to be conscious that it is the 
same selfish love that makes me feel and say this ; 
and that I must learn to love her for her own sake, 
for her own well-being and happiness, even though 
mine should never come. But can I thus let her 
pass wholly out of my life ? A reply comes to me, 
" Those who have once belonged to each other can 
never be wholly separated." But I am made to feel 
that it is for me, by kind and loving deeds to others, 
to grow up to her, and not for her to come back to 
my condition.' 

" And thus we leave him in a fair way truly to 
find himself, and, in thus doing, to form a real union 
with his conjugal and soul counterpart." 

A WAR-HELPER, AND HOW" IT FARES WITH HIM IN 
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 

March 23, 1876. — I see before me a man, who, 
through all his earthl} T life, was engaged in the in- 
vention and manufacture of cannon. This was sim- 
ply his trade. He never looked at the matter from a 
moral and humanitarian standpoint, but regarded it 
merely as an art to be perfected to the highest possi^ 
ble degree. When he coolly estimated how many 
men a favorite piece of ordnance would kill at a 
single discharge, he did not think of the suffering 
and loss of life, but regarded it simply as a triumph 
of his skill. 

" And this was not especially from an intrinsic 
hard-heartedness of the man, but rather from an 
over-absorption in that winch was to him the great 
work of his life. 



126 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" And now that his earthly life has come to its 
close, and he is fairly entered upon life as it is in the 
spirit-world, he appears to be utterly at a loss for 
something to do ; the end of his growth having 
been seemingly reached in the perfecting of his spe- 
cial trade, of use only — and that a doubtful one as 
it now seems even to him — in the earth-sphere of 
his existence. 

" His spiritual nature seems hardly to have taken 
the first step in its advancement ; and now, as he is 
seen by me, standing upon the borders of the new 
life, and looking backward over his earthly career, 
the importance of his former calling seems gradually 
to dwindle into utter insignificance, whilst glimpses 
of grand realities begin to open to his spiritual per- 
ceptions. 

u But a lesson awaits him, as the starting-point 
of that which is higher : a cannon-ball now seems to 
strike him ; and he feels all the force and anguish of 
such a crushing-out of life. He begins now to see 
the moral import of the work he had been doing. 
He thinks this rather a severe introduction to that 
which he has now to learn ; and that an appeal to 
his reason and conscience might have answered, with- 
out this terrible shock to his entire sensitive being. 
But there is no escape from a just and natural law 
of retribution in this realm of unswerving realities. 

" The man is now at length thoroughly awakened 
to thought — not only in regard to the moral aspect 
of his former trade, but also in regard to the brutal 
custom of war to which it properly belonged; and 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 127 

as his first great work in the spirit-world, he is to 
become active in overturning that same gigantic evil 
which while on earth he had helped to build up. 

A GEAND VISION OF THE PEACE MOVEMENT. 

" And now is opened to my view a great concourse 
of agencies, to display in its true proportions the 
magnitude of the great war-evil as it still exists upon 
the earth. Noble reformers are being raised up to 
show forth its enormity, and to aid in the removal 
of the giant wrong. One of these stands forth con- 
spicuously to my vision as I look forward with pro- 
phetic eye to the future of this evil. The earthly 
career of this person has not yet commenced ; indeed, 
he himself exists not as a fully individualized being, 
but only in the embryonic life. He is to be another 
Saviour to the world, in this one particular respect. 
His largely intuitive nature will make him ever open 
to the thoughts and purposes of similar noble reform- 
ers in the spirit-life, who, with him, will labor for the 
establishment of peace on earth, and good-will toward 
man. 

"Now my vision is turned more directly to the 
spirit-side of the great peace-movement. Prominent 
before me is the stately form of one whom I now 
know to have been Gen. Winfield Scott when in the 
earthly life. But now, strange as it may seem, he is 
deeply interested in the peace-reform as it is being 
urged forward by mortal and spirit forces combined. 
Rather significantly, as I think, he appears to turn 
his back to the political and governing power of the 



128 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

country, and to make his appeal directly to the mili- 
tary force, as it is scattered here and there through- 
out the land. 

" I now watch him as he approaches one of these 
military posts, and throws his invisible will-power 
over the soldiers there stationed. Some of these 
seem to have an intuitive perception of the invisible 
presence of their chief, and stand up with a reveren- 
tial bearing ; others are lounging in attitudes of neg- 
ligence and indolence. 

" The efforts to impress these men, are not without 
success. Some of them are made to feel that there 
must be other, and more rational methods of settling 
national differences than through such brutal vio- 
lences as they have been trained to ; that wars are 
indeed, generally, the products of a few designing 
and unscrupulous political leaders ; and are so shaped 
as to promote selfish and personal ends, rather than 
national and patriotic ones. 

" And now I see this stately, patriotic chief in 
spirit-life, turning his face resolutely, stern!?/ indeed, 
toward the nation's capital. He goes forward ; then 
seems to pause and hesitate, as he thinks of the many 
personal friends whose happiness is involved. But 
the pause is for a moment only ; he then regains his 
resolute sternness, and, with the exclamation, 4 It 
muct be done ! ' presses onward in his course. I ask 
why it is that thus, seemingly alone, he goes forward 
to so great a work as appears to be before him; 
when, lo ! to my extended vision, I see approaching 
from all quarters the revered patriots of the nation's 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 129 

history. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and many- 
others of the renowned and venerated ones, are now 
gathering around that seemingly doomed city; and 
with the same serious and determined look. They 
enter with their silent tread even the secret cham- 
bers of the various departments of state, — not for- 
getting the president himself, — and whisper words 
of stern rebuke, at the gross and widely-extended 
corruptions within the spheres, and under the control 
of those who should be the nation's safeguards. 
Many are seen to tremble at these silent rebukes, 
and to utter vain regrets that they should have been 
led to courses so dishonorable, — the fruits of which 
are so unsatisfactory and bitter. 

" The president himself does by no means wholly 
escape the searching spirit of self-accusation. It 
does not, however, clearly appear that he has directly 
and personally engaged in fraudulent practices ; yet 
he does seem to have closed his official eye on the 
frauds of others." 

Owing to unfavorable conditions, this vision was 
left incomplete; and we were told that it was the 
intention to have it resumed, when it would be con- 
siderably extended, whilst some of the obscurities 
of what is given above should be cleared up. 

AN EARTHLY MONARCH IN SPHHT-LIFE. 

" I now see before me an earthly ruler, — a king, 
who has just entered the spirit-life. He has still 
around him all the pomp of an earthly monarch ; is 
sitting upon a throne of crimson drapery richly 



130 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

ornamented with gold and precious gems. But, 
although thus surrounded with the insignia of royal- 
ty, he is yet sitting entirely alone, and in great sur- 
prise that none of his former subjects — some of 
whom he sees in the distance — approach to do him 
reverence. 

" All these surroundings, I am given to understand, 
are temporarily bestowed upon him, that he may still 
retain a vivid consciousness of what he was in the 
life he has just left, and thus the way be prepared 
for the coming lesson. 

"And now there approaches and stands before 
him one whom I should call a Christ-man, who 
speaks to him words like these : 4 We have no inher- 
ited royalty here ; you are but a man like the others. 
The only royalty we recognize is the royalty of real 
merit, — of noble thoughts, purposes, and acts. 
What have you done to entitle you to this ? What 
have you, in your position of pre-eminent opportuni- 
ties, done for the spiritual and temporal well-being 
of those who were under you ? ' 

" Having said this, the Christ-man turns away, and 
leaves the now culprit-monarch to his own self-con- 
demning thoughts. He tries for a while to evade 
the force of the thoughts thus aroused within him. 
He says, that, as to the spiritual welfare of his sub- 
jects, that belonged to the Pope and his priesthood ; 
and, as to their material well-being, that belonged to 
those who stood between him and them. But for 
what, then, was he so lifted up above the others? 
Was it indeed that he might be the great spendthrift 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 131 

of the nation, living most luxuriously and selfishly 
upon that for which others had toiled and suffered, 
— often in the poverty of absolute want ? So it be- 
gins to seem to him, and deep feelings of remorse 
now torture his spirit. 

"And, to aid him still further in this searching 
self-investigation, he is permitted to get a glimpse of 
the truly great of the spirit-kingdom. He recog- 
nizes some of these, and remembers them as having 
been only of the common people, upon whom, in his 
earthly rule, he had looked down as hardly worthy 
of his most distant thought. But now he sees that 
they have a power and a nobility which belong not 
to him. High in the spirit-life are they now, and 
wise instructors, around whom are gathered the 
spiritually hungry, with upturned and gladdened 
faces at the light and joy they are thus receiving. 
But he, the monarch, — now in mockery, as it were, 
of his true position, — toward him, no one turns a 
look of respect even, much less of reverence. 

" And now I see all the gilded mockery that has 
been around him, crumbling rapidly away. The 
very foundations upon which all seemed to rest are 
gone ; and he is fast sinking toward his true position 
in the' life of the spirit, until at length I see hini 
standing in the plainest, most frugal garb, — much 
like that of a wood-chopper of the lower class ; and, 
although his form is still large and commanding, he 
has now — since all his external factitious helps are 
removed — hardly the strength of a child; and he 
seems desolate indeed. 



132 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

"Inow seem to take his place, and to speak his 
thoughts : ' What am I, then, as a reality, when all the 
externals, the superficialities of my earth-life, are no 
longer with me? I am nothing but a child, and 
need every thing in the way of true knowledge and 
growth. I must begin at the very foundation of life 
as it should be ; and with divinely given help I will 
now so build, that the superstructure shall be endur- 
ing, as well as noble and grand. I will forget that I 
am a fallen monarch, and only be a rising man. I am 
willing — now that I see so clearly my mistake — 
to go to the very foot of the ladder, and, by even the 
most menial labors, gain the first step ; and then will 
I patiently mount upward, — slowly and painfully it 
may be, — until I shall be truly noble and kinglike 
in my spiritual self-hood.' 

THE HEEMIT FANATIC. 

" A man is now before me who has just entered 
the spirit-life, and whose earthly existence had been 
earnestly devoted to mistaken efforts to please his 
God and to secure for himself the highest seat in the 
heavenly kingdom. For this purpose he had turned 
wholly away from the world of active life, and de- 
voted himself to the austerities of a hermit's life. 
His time was almost wholly spent in self-scourgings ; 
and many times a day would he prostrate himself 
with his face in the dust of the earth, hoping thus to 
prove his humility and zealous devotion to his God. 
So austere and self-denying was his life, that his death 
was more that of starvation, than from any other 
cause. 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 133 

" And now as I see him in that life to come, to 
which he had looked forward with such zealous 
but mistaken devotion, he seems still to be lying upon 
the ground in his old attitude of self-humiliation, 
and in the constant expectation of his call to go up 
higher, and take his place at the right hand of the 
throne. But the call comes not, and he seems about 
to despair of his hope. For now, stirred by the efforts 
of kind helpers not far from him, reflection is active 
within him. He considers again the divine prom- 
ises, and, when he tries to harmonize these with his 
past life, his great mistake becomes apparent; for 
what did he do to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, 
and to care generally for those whom Christ came to 
seek and to save ? 

" Now the light strikes him still more clearly ; and 
as he looks back with the quickened vision being 
given him, he sees that, after all, his supposed self- 
sacrifice and holy zeal were for a selfish end, even to 
secure for himself a higher seat and a brighter crown 
than others. But there he now lies in his self- 
assumed righteous humility, a useless member of the 
spirit kingdom; whilst all around, within reach of 
his vision, are crowds of happy ones all active in 
promoting the happiness and welfare of each other. 
But as for himself, he is but a useless encumbrance in 
this world of joyous activity. 

" Another bright ray of light strikes him from the 
higher conditions, and he begins to see that it is only 
in action that he can find relief and happiness. He 
starts up from his prostration, and looks around for 



134 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

something which he can do. A little child, hardly 
able to move of its own strength, is passing hear him. 
He catches it up in his arms, and as he bears it along 
he seems to gather to his heart in some degree the 
strength and joy which he sees around him. But 
now the child escapes from his arms, and goes to its 
father, just seen in the distance; and the man is 
once more left with nothing to employ his newly- 
awakened energy. 

" In looking earnestly around, however, he gains 
information of a location where are to be found those 
of an imperfectly formed spirit organism, and stand- 
ing in need of just such aid as it is in his power to 
give. He is interested at once; but at first the 
thought comes to him, that it may be needful for him 
to go through some especial preparation before he 
enters upon his work. And being in doubt upon 
this point, he looks upward for guidance, when a 
noble-looking being approaches him and -says, ' Fol- 
low me, and I will teach you what to do.' 

" So now, under this wise guidance, he goes ear- 
nestly to work helping the unfortunate ones; and 
thus his preparation is made in the very midst of his 
labors. 

"At this time he seems to have turned wholly 
away from the God of his former life, and is inclined 
to be independent of all such ideas ; the person of 
his noble guide being, as he thinks, all that he needs 
to look us to. Yet now at length is he conscious of 
a stirring within which tells him plainly that the 
idea of a God — a true one now in place of his former 



A BOOK OF HUMAN LIVES. 135 

false one — is an essential part of his life, and that 
without it he can not grow up to the full stature of 
his spiritual manhood." 

Here the sustaining power of the seer seemed 
suddenly to fail, and she could follow the vision no 
farther. 

UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS. 

For about two weeks past our seances have been 
either partially or wholly failures, owing mainly to 
the exhausted condition of our seer. The attempt 
all along has evidently been to present further in- 
structions from our Book of Human Lives; and 
enough has been given in the way of brief glimpses, 
to show, that, had the conditions all been right, we 
should have had additional visions, equal to if not 
surpassing any we have previously had. Indeed, 
there seems to be an inexhaustible store of these 
grand and deeply significant illustrations of human 
life and its results as experienced in the spirit-world ; 
the great difficulty being to establish and maintain 
suitable channels through which to convey them to 
those still in the mortal form. 

At our seance of this evening, it was finally de- 
cided that our efforts should cease for the present, 
and the seer go into the country for rest and recu- 
peration. Meanwhile the direction to me was to 
preserve the material thus far received, in an unused 
state, until a return of more favorable conditions 
should permit of further valuable additions. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

SCENES OP BENEFICENCE. — HUMAN LIFE-GERMS, 
NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL. 

After, a lapse of seven months, we have at length 
resumed our seances under what seem to be favor- 
able auspices. During most of this time Mrs. Loucks 
has been with friends in the country, and has thus 
had a good opportunity to regain her lost vigor. 

My present report is of the first seance after her 
return, given as nearly as possible in her own words. 

" I feel awed into the deepest reverence by the 
greatness and wisdom that now seem to- approach 
me. But I must try to stand firm in faith and trust, 
aiming ever to rightly receive and use all that shall 
be given me." She then uttered an earnest and 
appropriate prayer, and the vision opened as fol- 
lows : — 

" I seem to see myself ascending a steep hill until 
I come to a quay or narrow plain. Beyond this 
rises a still more difficult ascent. I pass over both 
of these, and then at the summit am received upon 
what appears to be a cloud, lighted up with a soft 
brilliancy, with which I am both lighted and warmed. 
On this I float away into the regions of spirit-life ; 

136 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 137 

and here, through something like an archway, I be- 
hold an imperfectly formed home of a soul recently 
from the earthly life, whose condition may serve as 
the starting-point of the lesson now to be given. 
For I am to trace, with my illumined vision, the grad- 
ual unfolding of such a human life, even from its ear- 
liest embryonic existence. 

" It is most wonderful, that which I now see : it is 
a mere electric spark, as it were ; but although thus 
infinite simally small, it is yet a beginning of individ- 
ualized life. And hereafter, whatever may be its 
adverse changes, that human life-spark shall never 
be extinguished. I now watch this life-spark, this 
center of a human being, as, in accordance with its 
inherent law, it incessantly revolves amid its chemi- 
cal surroundings, attracting ever to itself the essen- 
tial elements of growth. The first processes result 
in a gradually enlarging circular form ; then come 
signs of the various bodily organs : more and more 
distinct and largely defined are these, until at length 
the full-formed infant is there, whose living activity 
can no longer be confined to the narrow abode, but, 
aided by nature's throes, it escapes into the open 
area of human life. 

" I am now to trace this individualized existence, 
thus introduced into the exterior world, until a more 
divine light reaches the very center, the germ within 
a germ, so to speak, and the spiritual embryo is 
quickened into that diviner life whose home is in 
the unfading Beyond. 

" For there is in every human form the embryo of 



138 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

a spiritual life, which hy an inevitable law must some 
time be awakened and gradually unfolded into the 
higher phases of an immortal career. And it de- 
pends wholly upon the conditions, including heredi- 
tary tendencies, with which the individual is sur- 
rounded both before and after the natural birth, as 
to how soon this spiritual embryo shall be quickened 
by the divine rays of light and love, which are ever 
seeking to penetrate the external, and to reach the 
center of the life of the spirit. 

" As I watch the course of the vision being given 
me, I perceive some instances in which this new life 
unfolds itself in exceeding loveliness in the season of 
early childhood. In other cases the event is in early 
youth or in the vigor of manhood ; then again, when 
tottering age is just ready to fall away into what had 
before seemed a dreamy nonentity, even here some- 
times the awakening of the inward life is seen, giving 
hope and cheer to the last of earth's scenes. But 
with earthly conditions as they now are, the masses 
pass on into the Beyond with the spiritual still in 
its embryonic state, to be there awakened through 
means wisely adapted to the end. But in all there is 
the same natural necessity for the spiritual as there 
is for the physical birth ; only in the spiritual there 
is often great delay, owing to adverse conditions 
which press down and hinder the struggling efforts 
of the inward life. 

" This distinction between the physical and spirit- 
ual births, I can clearly perceive to be a reality, 
although it is not now given me to enter into an 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. ISO 

enlarged explanation. But at the first birth man is 
seen to enter into a life which is largely animal in its 
nature ; whilst at the second, or spiritual, the moral 
powers and religious aspirations assume the ascen- 
dency, using the bodily or animal capacities simply 
as helps to the spiritual." 

LIFE-CENTERS AND THE LAWS OF SPIRITUAL 

GEOWTH. 

What is given under this heading may be regarded 
as mainly my own ; that is, so far as the expression is 
concerned. The leading or " basic " thought, as it 
was called, was, however, given me by our presiding 
intelligence, with the request that I should elaborate 
it in my own language and style ; but doubtless still 
under my special inspirational influence. The result 
follows. 

It is now my work to unfold briefly the laws of 
spiritual growth as evolved from the individual life- 
centers. The action is imperative and universal in 
its sway. Even the darkest phases of human life are 
still subject to this absolute law of growth. There 
is in reality no such thing as a positive retrograde 
movement. The down grades of human life are 
apparent, not real ; they are only because a valley — 
a dark and repulsive one, it may be — lies directly 
between the present standpoint and the far more 
attractive heights beyond. 

To turn to the vegetable world for illustration : 
" that which thou sowest is not quickened except it 
die ; " thus it often is in the life of the spirit. As, at 



140 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

the very time the material seed lies covered by the 
earthly mold in dark and festering deadness, the 
process of real growth is still active, so in some of 
the most adverse conditions of human life. Often is 
it, that what seems darkest to the natural vision, in 
the inward nature of things is still a decided forward 
movement of the spirit's growth. 

What now of external helps in this spiritual unfold- 
ment ? The reply is, that all such helps are prelimi- 
nary rather than positive. Here, again, we turn to 
nature's illustrations : if a space of growing grass be 
covered with a flattened stone, the process is imme- 
diately checked, but not destroyed. The struggling 
tendency toward growth still goes on beneath. Or, 
if a delicate vine be shut up in a darkened cellar, it 
will still stretch forth its tendrils, in frail obedience 
to the laws of growth, toward the faintest ray of 
light that may reach its darkened abode. But now 
let some beneficent hand take off the oppressive 
stone, and remove the tender vine into the open air 
and sunlight ; how then will the pale grass and the 
sickly vine regain once more their growing freshness ! 

It is much so with the unfortunates of earth. Ad- 
verse conditions shut away from them the moral 
light and warmth which should be theirs, and they 
pale and languish as to their higher, spiritual life. 
The special, if not indeed the only work of interme- 
diate agencies, whether in or out of the material 
body, is to remove the obstructions which surround 
and overshadow individual souls, that the wronged 
and suffering ones may be restored to their rightful 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 141 

heritage of a divinely-given, spiritual sunlight and 
warmth. 

Let this, then, be our work. Let us but labor to 
break the bonds of mental slavery and oppressive 
abuse of all kinds, and so to scatter the overhanging 
clouds of ignorance and superstition, that the pure 
influx of light and love may come in, and the work 
is done ; for the soul-germ, thus touched and warmed 
by the rays of the central Sun of the spiritual uni- 
verse, will of itself spring forth into a new life of 
moral grandeur and ever-brightening beauty. 

A FALLEN WOMAN" REDEEMED. 

After an earnest expression of devout feeling, — a 
short season of quiet following, during which her 
countenance lighted up with an expression of serene 
joy, — the seer said, — 

"I seem to have passed over a long distance, 
through pleasant scenery, and attended by the con- 
sciousness of near and delightful influences. My 
conveyance appears to be an extemporized platform 
of atrial substance, borne along by unseen force. I 
am now at the point where I am expected to step 
off; but I hesitate to trust myself in the dim uncer- 
tainty before me. But I soon gain the needed faith ; 
and, lo ! I am at once wafted gently to the chosen 
point of my observation. 

" Here I see, in a somewhat dark and misty atmos- 
phere, a plain, unfinished, and uninviting building, 
having no pretensions whatever to architectural 
finish. It is the worn and shrunken skeleton form of 



142 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

a woman, that I now perceive to be the sole occu- 
pant, resting in almost utter lifelessness upon what 
seems to be the bare ground, — there being not even 
the convenience of a floor to the comfortless struc- 
ture. The spirit-body appears to be almost utterly 
drained of the magnetic forces which should now be 
its life and strength ; whilst the human sold within 
has been reduced to a mere smoldering spark, as it 
were, of the divine life of humanity. There seems 
to be no inherent power of motion whatever. 

" But all around, in loving nearness, are to be seen, 
in beneficent action, the magnetic forces of especially 
appointed helpers of the unfortunate one, gently 
fanning the slumbering spark into that new and 
glowing life of the spirit which is sure to be hers in 
the end. The spark revives : the spirit — originally 
of great fineness and beauty of fiber — begins once 
more to think and to feel. And, oh, with what 
loathing she now looks back to the life she once 
lived upon the earth ! The thought of having pros- 
tituted her body almost unto the death of her soul, 
is now to her a most humbling and yet an arousing 
thought. Inspirations from invisible helpers add in- 
tensity and strength to that which is awakened 
within her ; but as yet she sees not all the beautiful 
light, nor feels in its fullness the magnetic warmth 
thus thrown around her ; for such a full conscious- 
ness would be too overpowering to her sensitive and 
now weakened powers. But the help thus invisibly 
and lovingly visited upon her frail condition soon 
arouses her to earnest aspiration and active effort. 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE, 143 

"And now other helps come to her wasted, de- 
pleted condition, in a manner strange and wonderful 
indeed. Between her and the grossly sensual man 
who once preyed upon her vitality to pamper to his 
selfish lusts, I perceive a mysterious connection, — 
a magnetic chain, it seems to be, which, through an 
inexorable law, compels him to yield back to his vic- 
tim the portion of life-essence which rightly belongs 
to her, but of which he had succeeded in robbing 
her for a season. And thus, as she gradually regains 
the missing elements of her spirit-form, his coarse 
organism is seen to shrink into almost hopeless imbe- 
cility. 

" I gladly turn from this sight, to watch still fur- 
ther the progress of the newly-awakened one in the 
spirit-life. With her rapid increase in strength and 
beauty, comes the earnest desire for activity. She is 
asked which shall be her choice : to descend once 
more into a nearness to the earthly life, to help those 
she has left behind ; or to go on still higher into the 
regions of light and beauty now so clearly before 
her. Her reply is, ' Oh, let me go back and speak a 
warning word to the darkened and suffering ones I 
have left behind ! ' 

" But, by her wise and loving helpers, she is soon 
made to see that she is not yet in a sufficiently re- 
covered and strengthened condition to allow of her 
return to such a work, in so close a proximity to that 
which had once proved to be too strong for her. 

" Her present work is, therefore, one of waiting 
and preparation ; and thus I leave her. 



144 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

A FOUNTAIN OF LIQUID PEARLS. 

" I now see what appears to be a fountain of liquid 
pearls. All the colors of the rainbow disport them- 
selves amid this spray of brilliants. 

" But not for beauty alone is this gorgeous display ; 
for every ray of light, as it sparkles in its kaleido- 
scope changes of soft brilliancy, has within it a rich- 
ness not only of beauty, but also of health. 

u Around and beneath the spray of this wonderful 
fountain, are to be seen the lovely forms of children. 
They are of a class who had failed to receive the 
natural nourishment and growth which should have 
been theirs in the earthly life. To them this foun- 
tain seems to furnish all the elements necessary to 
the recovery of what they were thus deprived of in 
their brief preliminary existence. 

" It is a beautiful sight I now see, as I watch these 
little ones gayly disporting themselves -beneath the 
ever-shifting brilliancy. And ever and anon, as 
they open their cherub mouths, they take to them- 
selves this natural and perfect nourishment as pre- 
pared by the wisdom of the spirit-life. 

"I am now permitted to analyze these pearly 
drops of liquid life. They have within them an 
epitome, as it were, of all the natural and healthy 
experiences of the earthly life. And thus the effect, 
in some instances, upon these infant ones, — momen- 
tary and flashing though it be, — is like that of the 
most ecstatic of human experiences while in the 
earth-sphere. 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 145 

" And so it is that these defrauded ones as to 
their earthly existence may both grow in their spirit- 
forms, and also recover somewhat of the lost experi- 
ences of the earthly life, without which the higher 
growth in the spirit-spheres must be greatly re- 
tarded. 

A RELIGIOUS FANATIC: HOW TREATED. 

"Again I come," said the seer, "to seek for in- 
struction from your bright spheres of truth and love. 
The gentle and gracious sister with golden hair and 
sweet, smiling face, to whom I make my salutation, 
waves me a welcome ; and I soon find myself in near 
proximity to a group of brother and sister spirits, 
who seem to have met for some important work of 
benefaction. In the center of the group is the spe- 
cial object of their interest. It is one who, while 
on earth, was a zealous fanatic, under the control of 
a religion of darkness and superstition. All her life 
long had she, with honest purpose, practiced the 
severest self-inflicted austerities, with the firm faith 
that in this way only could she gain admittance to 
the heavenly kingdom, and receive the commenda- 
tion of the Master. Her great ambition had been to 
be a partaker of his death as well as of his life. So, 
with a crown of piercing thorns upon her head, and 
with bare and bleeding feet, she ever lived amid 
pains and privations, until at last a self-invited death 
introduced her into the new life-sphere of which her 
conceptions, while on earth, had been of the most 
imperfect and perverted character. 



146 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" And now in her spirit-form she lies there in the 
midst of the group of beneficent ones who have 
come especially for her relief. The sadly misguided 
one, how much is she to be pitied! Her eyes are 
uprolled, her hands clasped with a convulsive grasp, 
and her whole being thrilled with a self-chosen agony, 
which she still determinedly clings to as her only 
anchor of safety ; for she still thinks that self-inflicted 
torture is the only passport to the higher seats of the 
heavenly kingdom, and that Jesus the Saviour will 
soon come to her release, and receive her to himself 
as a good and faithful servant. 

" The group of helpers around her are taking lov- 
ing counsel as to how they can best reach the mis- 
guided one, and deliver her from her sad bondage. 
They see clearly that the first step must be to free 
her from her abject self-abasement, and that she be 
made to feel and act for herself. Magnetic passes 
are made over her, to move away from the brain the 
terrible pressure which her long-continued, self-in- 
flicted agony has left upon it. The effort is success- 
ful ; but the first effects of this diffusion of the vital 
forces are to leave her in great weakness, and for a 
time she lies in almost utter imbecility. 

" At length she is made to hear a voice speaking 
to her: she thinks it is the expected Saviour, and 
looks eagerly up with the hope of seeing him. But, 
instead of one, she sees many kindly ones around her, 
who, could she but understand things rightly, are all 
saviors to her in her present bewildered and un- 
happy condition. 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 147 

" But now, at length, the voice speaks of her mis- 
taken views, and of the sad results they have brought 
to her. At this she begins to be alarmed lest she 
should be amid the emissaries of heresy and evil, 
instead of the true saints of the Church. 

"A" dear sister of her earthly life is one of the 
surrounding group. With earnest and loving words, 
this gentle sister remonstrates with the erring one, 
asking her how it is possible that she can think that 
one who had drawn her life-nourishment from the 
same maternal breast, and who together with her 
had frolicked amid childhood's scenes of innocence 
and joy, could now join in a scheme of deception 
and fatal error. This appeal gains at length a kind- 
ly reception in the disordered mind ; and the way is 
thus prepared for a still further advancement of the 
work in hand. 

" And now, to complete the work, comes one who, 
in mercy to her still weak and wavering condition, and 
to the end that her preconceived ideas may not be 
too rudely shocked, and thus the anticipated good be 
defeated, appears at first as a winged angelic messen- 
ger from the Saviour she has been expecting. This 
angelic being, whose presence commands her reveren- 
tial attention, now reasons with her, gently remov- 
ing the most deeply seated errors of her past life; 
points out the true way to gain the higher conditions, 
and tells her that all the kind ones around her should 
be regarded as her instructors and helpers in the on- 
ward pathway of wisdom and love now before her. 

" Having thus gained her attention, and given the 



148 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

misguided one her first lessons in the new life, the 
wings are laid aside, and the one who had worn them 
says to her, ' I also am but a brother and a common 
co-worker in this field of action, and you are my 
sister; and all these around you are your brothers 
and sisters who have come to help you out of your 
unhappy condition into a life of freedom and joy 
with us.' 

" The recent comer from the earth seems now to be 
somewhat aroused and strengthened, and her mental 
perception to be partially opened to the new truths. 
But she then shrinks from a full confidence in those 
around her. At length she arises from her prostrate 
position, and wanders away by herself, amid the 
regions of wonder in which she now finds herself. 
But so many things and beautiful things attract her 
attention, that she soon becomes convinced that this 
must indeed be the heavenly land ; that, in order to 
its right exploration, a wise teacher must be had. 
For, on her right hand, there opens to her view a 
perfect maze of beauty, of which the name of 
flowery land gives but a very faint conception ; and 
now, on her left, appears a joyous procession of 
youthful spirits, all crowned with wreaths of flowers 
and sparkling gems of beauty, wending their way 
earthward to welcome the coming of a new child- 
spirit into the land of the happy. She finally re- 
solves to return to the group she has left, and with 
friendly confidence accepts of their guidance and 
aid. 

w And now that the special work of the group is 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 149 

accomplished, it seems to float away from my vision, 
appearing in the distance like a graceful pyramid of 
soft, rainbow-hued lights, to which nothing within 
our earthly knowledge can so justly be compared as 
the form of a chandelier of great magnificence and 
beauty." 

A TEMPLE OF AMBITION, AND ITS OVERTHROW. 

u As I approach the scene of my observation, I be- 
hold a massive temple constructed somewhat after the 
usual style of buildings of state. It stands in a com- 
manding position, surrounded by green lawns. But 
the gradual rise toward the building is seemingly by 
stone terraces; and this, together with the general 
features of the building itself, gives to it a cold and 
forbidding aspect. It is a monumental temple, erected 
and dedicated to themselves by self-elected nobles 
and aristocrats of a republican land. In their earthly 
lives, these had given themselves almost wholly to 
schemes of a selfish ambition ; sacrificing to these 
all the finer sensibilities of social and domestic life. 
Love, friendship, parentage, and all such relations, 
were to them as nothing, — only fit, in their estima- 
tion, for those of mediocre capacities and inferior 
lives. Leaders in political life, devotees of science, 
and even teachers of religion, are to be found among 
these. Hard, unnatural, one-sided lives were theirs 
in their preliminary existence ; and now here in 
this higher but sternly retributive life, have they 
been permitted to carry out to its natural results the 
end for which they have been striving. Hence they 



150 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

have buildcd this massive monument to their own 
greatness ; which, as they have fondly flattered them- 
selves, would not only be an enduring tribute to their 
fame, but also a home of dignified rest and peace. 

" In accordance with these ends, the entire inside of 
the building is arranged with speeial reference to per- 
sonal grandeur and repose. There are innumerable 
niches, in each of which there is a statue, not of some 
magnate of general recognition, but of their own 
personal selves. Instead of inclosed apartments for 
•retirement and quiet repose, here are open alcoves 
appropriated to individual use, in which are to be 
seen all the appliances for an ostentatious display of 
personal dignity and luxurious repose. For what else 
was there now left to them? was not their work 
done ? and ought they not now to stand upon their 
well-earned dignity as permanent models of human 
greatness ? 

" But why is this ? Why comes not the expected 
peace and dignified joy ? They have none but them- 
selves for whom to live ; and even among their own 
class they can not experience the helps of a true social 
life, for each one is so lifted up in his own estimation 
that he can not condescend to mingle Ms life experi- 
ences with those of others. And so all soon becomes 
a blank and dreary selfishness, in itself a hell of no 
inferior magnitude and intensity. What a mistake ! 
each one sitting upon the cold apex of his own 
assumed greatness, with no higher end or further work 
before him ; home and social life, with all their 
soothing and softening ministries, all far beneath 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 151 

him. His is a masculine kingdom, with no gentle 
woman-soul to share it with him, or child-love to 
soften its sternness. 

" The mistake thus made is one which only the 
wise methods of discipline, as found in the spirit 
life, can rightly correct ; and hence it was that these 
self wise and great ones were thus permitted to work 
out to its legitimate end the kind of life which has 
been theirs. The salutary result is even now begin- 
ning to be seen. The slighted and wronged depart- 
ments of their being urgently demand redress ; and 
soon they begin to look longingly from the isolation 
of their cold and lofty temple down upon the gentle 
slopes ; the gracefully winding walks fringed with 
sweet and modest flowers, to be seen in their near sur- 
roundings. Here are the different odors of social life 
in all their attractive variety, — the loves of the 
youth and the maiden, the joy of parentage, with 
other delights of a happy home life. 

" And now the mistaken ones are to be seen grad- 
ually descending from their uplifted position. First 
one, then another, makes excursions among the happy 
groups below ; and, the taste of a truer life being thus 
given them, they finally resolve to leave their massive 
temple, and mingle their lives with the lowly and the 
happy. 

u But what shall be done with their magnificent 
temple ? The question is discussed among them ; and 
it is finally resolved that it be given up as a future 
home for that childhood of which heretofore they bad 
thought so little and so meanly. The change is 



152 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

made ; and behold, now with the entrance of throng- 
ing childhood, with all its accompaniments of inno- 
cence, of playfulness and love, that cold gray build- 
ing becomes transformed into a building of light and 
beauty. 

"And where now are its former inmates ? Their 
self-assumed greatness is gone with that which had 
symbolized it ; and little, indeed, was there in them of 
that spiritual manhood which alone is recognized as 
great by the light of the higher spirit life. They 
must become as children before they can rise into 
true greatfulness. Hence they are now seen to lapse 
away into a dark obscurity, from which they must 
work their way painfully upward into a true fitness, 
before the home of the happy can be theirs. 

A GALA-DAY FOR CHILDREN. 

"What I now see before me is a succession of 
stairways, reaching upward in the direction I am 
expected to go. I seem a little heavy and disin- 
clined to make the effort, but finally go forward, and 
I am soon on a broad platform at the top. From this 
I am wafted quickly to the point of observation I am 
to occupy. 

" A gala-day for children, I think it is that I now 
see. They are mostly of those who were taken from 
the earthly life, and hence they missed much of its 
severer discipline, and also much of the spiritual 
growth which might have come of this discipline; 
and thus the gain and the loss serve to counterbal- 
ance each other. They are all girls, and are grouped 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE. 153 

together in a most graceful manner, dressed in their 
gala robes, made of the finest and most beautiful 
fabric. All is lively and joyful with them : a sight 
it is indeed of great purity and loveliness. 

"How beautifully and gracefully do these little 
ones float around in their gossamer robes of softly 
blending colors ! Flowers of every shade of beauty 
are showered upon them. And these flowers, for the 
time at least, appear to be possessed of intelligent 
life ; for they do not seem to fall with a dead weight, 
but with a bee-like motion they glide from one to 
another of the fleecy draperies of the young girls, 
as they are gayly moving through the joyous dance. 

"]N"ow my attention is especially drawn toward 
one who appears to be very different from all the 
others. Her dress is of a bright red ; her hair of a 
jet black, as also are her eyes, at least apparently, but 
there is such an unnatural sparkle to them, that they 
gleam almost like coals of fire. She gazes around at 
first with a wild and startled look, feeling evidently 
uncomfortably out of place in her pleasant surround- 
ings. But soon she begins to recover her self-posses- 
sion, and to show an interest in the graceful move- 
ments of the gentle and happy ones around her. 
And now she tries the quick and wiry motion to 
which she had been accustomed in the dance. The 
contrast presented is unsatisfactory to her ; and she 
is anxious to study and imitate the graces of the 
others. Seeing this wish, some of these approach, 
and, with extended hands, invite her to mingle with 
them in the dance. 



154 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" At length she is fairly drawn into their circles ; 
and very soon a marked change is seen to take place 
with this one who had at first seemed almost like a 
sprite of the wildwoods. The gentle, magnetic touch 
of her more refined sisters penetrates her being, and 
soon the unnatural wildness begins to disappear. 
Even the color of her hair and eyes becomes 
changed ; and she, from being a gypsy-like brunette, 
becomes a blonde with blue eyes and gentle look like 
the others. 

" It now appears that the change this wrought was 
a special purpose of this gathering, and that it was 
not a holiday merely, as at first it seemed to my 
vision; also that the groups of children, in their 
beneficent work upon their more unfortunate sister, 
have all the while been acting under the immediate 
prompting of wise teachers, who were at first so far 
in the background that I did not perceive them. 
But they are now nearer at hand, watching still more 
closely what seems to be the most critical part of the 
process. 

" For, when thus deprived of her wild and some- 
what rude energy, the especial subject of their 
labors was left in. a very exhausted condition; and 
it is only by a wise concentration of the magnetic 
life of the groups of the other children, that the 
changed and renewed life becomes sufficient to give 
the needed strength and activity to the renovated 
one. 

" My attention is now attracted toward a matronly 
looking person, who all the while has been watching, 



SCENES OF BENEFICENCE, 155 

with especial interest, the process thus successfully 
accomplished. She now makes herself known as the 
guardian and nurse of the transformed child. She 
calls the child to her, and tells her that she is now 
once more her real self; for that the life she had 
been leading, and the dark hair and features, and 
the bright colors in which she had been so long and 
steadily arrayed that she could remember no other, 
— were but unnatural, artificial results induced by 
the cunning skill of the gypsy band who had stolen 
her away from her home in Scotland when she was 
very young, and where her mother was still living 
in the body-form ; who, could she but see the young 
girl as she now is, would be able to recognize her as 
the long-lost daughter of the family. Now the 
child becomes very anxious to see her real mother ; 
but is told that the time for this had not yet fully 
come, but that all would soon come right, and her 
mother be with her in this her new and happy 
home." 

It would seem from the above, that even external 
conditions existing at the time of death often follow 
into the spirit-life, and remain with the individual 
until conditions there are made so to change, that 
such hallucinations — for doubtless the cases par- 
take largely of this character — shall have had op- 
portunity to pass away. So this young girl was 
for a time a gypsy to herself, and partially so to 
others, until restored to her natural condition, — in 
this instance through special effort. 



CHAPTER IX. 

LIGHTS AND SHADES OF THE SPIRIT-LIFE. — LOW 
FORMS OF SAVAGE LIFE. 

" I have had such hard work to get here ! " said 
the seer. " I have had to climb over rocks, and push 
myself through rugged passes, until I had almost de- 
spaired of the success of my efforts. And, now that 
I am here, I find that it is but a barren region I am 
in. Only a few blades of grass find their way up 
through the crevices ; but these seem to wave me 
on, and the feeling is given me that I have a lesson 
to gain even here. 

" A few inhabitants only are to be met with, and 
they are of the wildest kind of the native American 
Indians. So wild and savage are they, that they 
seem to have hardly a wish for a higher kind of life. 

" Some game is to be found here, of the wildest 
kind, but barely enough to supply the absolute 
necessities of savage life, even in the very low form 
here presented. The atmosphere is dark and oppress- 
ive : I can hardly endure its weight upon my spirit. 

"The lesson here given is. to illustrate the manner 
in which such extreme conditions of degradation are 
met and ameliorated by the wisdom of the spirit- 

156 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 



.01 



world and its agencies. The surroundings amid 
which these ignorant and torpid ones are placed 
are of a character so bleak and forbidding, that even 
within these forms of human life, — approaching as 
they do very nearly to absolute brute-life, — a feeling 
of dissatisfaction with the present is aroused ; and this 
serves as a necessary starting-point of progress. For, 
without some measure of dissatisfaction with the 
present, no struggle for improvement is possible, — a 
condition not easily induced in such low forms of life 
as these. 

GROUPS OF THE GROSSLY SENSUAL. 

" Having thus gained the lesson of this locality, I 
pass onward still through a very unpromising region, 
until I come upon a neighborhood made up of per- 
sons of an extremely indolent and sensual character. 
Their attention and conversation are almost wholly 
occupied with what they still regard as the good 
things of life; and which even now they seem to 
have in nearly the same gross form as existed with 
them in their earthly conditions. Hardly a wish for 
a better kind of life is to be found among them, 
although they are now in a state in which their 
grossly sensual living can be with them but briefly, 
and that more as a semblance than a reality. 

"My attention is especially directed to one who 
may serve as an illustration of the condition of the 
others. He is a large, full-bellied specimen of the 
olden-time landlord of a village inn, — one who was 
wont to supply liberally, not onlv his customers, but 



158 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

also himself, from the abundance at his command. 
And now here, within the borders of the spirit-world, 
he seems to wish for no higher enjoyment than that 
of eating and drinking, and other kinds of a sensual 
life. He has a family around him, who seem to be 
upon nearly the same plane with himself. 

" A thought seems now to strike him : he would 
like to visit again his old haunts upon the earth, 
where are still to be found many of his former boon 
companions, and where intoxicating drinks are always 
in free circulation, and where by a certain sympa- 
thetic process he is able — invisibly to his earthly 
comrades — to enjo}^ his share of their drunken rev- 
els. 

" He prepares to go. The remonstrances of his 
home-companion have no effect upon him ; and she 
seems to withdraw from him in terror at the 
thought of Ins return in a condition with which 
she has ever been but too familiar. 

" Now an unseen influence seems to lay hold of 
this feeling of repellant dislike in the woman, at the 
thought of the drunken revelry that is likely to 
ensue, and to urge her to leave her present degraded 
position, and to rise to a higher plane of life from 
which she may be able to lift her companion out of 
the lowest form of his present degradation. Her 
consent and her aspiration are seen and accepted by 
the kind helpers who are near her; and now, with 
her children, she seems to be lifted up, and to be 
borne away in the distance. 

" At length the husband is seen, in a drunken and 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 159 

maudlin condition, returning to the place where he 
had left his family ; but all is vacant and silent to 
his bewildered condition ; and, wonderful to behold ! 
as he enters the former home, the floor and even the 
foundations appear to sink away into a deep pit, car- 
rying the drunken man with them ! He finds him- 
self a complete prisoner. He can not even so much 
as look out, excepting in an upward direction. He 
is amazed into soberness, and soon becomes in a sick 
and suffering condition. Gradually he loses some- 
what of his grossness of form, and finally he begins 
to think seriously of his real condition. 

" Three kindly, beneficent-looking spirits now ap- 
proach, and try to impress him with better thoughts 
and purposes. But for a while they do not seem 
to meet with much success, for his mind still clings 
to material and sensual thoughts. Hence, when they 
ask if he would not like to rise into a higher con- 
dition of life, he replies that he would like to be 
out of his present condition, so that he could be free 
to go about and see more of the new and strange 
world in which he now finds himself. But as yet 
the kind spirit-helpers do not succeed in touching his 
moral nature, and causing in him a desire to rise in 
his spiritual life. 

" But now I see these spirit-helpers unfolding be- 
fore the man a chart of his earthly career, on which 
is marked out in startlingly clear outlines the sad 
results of his agency in spreading abroad, among 
former friends and neighbors, the terrible scourge of 
intemperance. Now at length he is aroused, and 



160 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

stirred to the depths of his better being, as the 
startling revelation is thus made to come home to 
him in all its force. Most deeply and painfully is he 
moved ; for at heart he was not a bad or unfeeling 
man, but the evil he had thus done while in the body 
was much the result of a thoughtless compliance with 
existing customs of the time and place in which he 
had lived. 

" But astonishment and remorse have now seized 
hold upon him; and he asks of his kindly helpers 
and instructors, in what way he can best make 
amends for the vast evil he has wrought in his 
earthly life. They tell him that in one way only 
can this be done : he must, after being rightly 
strengthened and prepared for the work, go back 
to his old earthly haunts, and so use his invisible 
power that the terrible evil may be checked in its 
course, and that he may thus save as many as, 
through his agency, had been lost in the sad evils 
of a drunkard's life. 

" And this, I am told, is the universal retributive 
method of the spirit-life. Those "who have left the 
dark tracery of evil results in their earthly career 
must first make themselves active in wiping out these 
evil results. Until this is done, the higher steps of a 
progressive life can not be taken. 

" The work of the poor man before me is to him 
so vast that he knows not how to begin it. He begs, 
therefore, of his instructors and guides, that they 
may close up some of the open doors before him, that 
thus, seeing but one way open at a time, he may be 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 161 

able to work more steadily and successfully in what 
is immediately before him. He is now in a fair way 
of self-recovery, and thus I leave him. 

" Turning my attention back to the same indolent 
and sensual group, I now perceive others making 
their way back to their old earthly haunts, to join 
again in drunken revels. I follow them with my 
vision, that I may better understand liow it is that 
they, in their spirit-form, are able to become par- 
takers of earthly intoxication. It is not exactly as 
I had supposed; for I now see that this class do 
actually partake of the finer and more powerful 
fumes of the liquors imbibed by their earthly com- 
rades. Yes, it is even so : invisible lips follow closely 
the motions of the others; and thus it is that the 
intoxicating fumes are made to reach even into the 
borders of the spirit-life ! But it is not always, I am 
told, that the result follows in this very material-look- 
ing way. In other cases, wherein the subjects are a 
little farther removed from the material conditions 
of earth, a similar result is reached by simply com- 
ing en rapport with dissipated ones still in the body." 

By what we thus received, it was made to appear 
that the sale and use of intoxicating drinks extend 
their demoralizing and ruinous results directly into 
the spirit-world, as well as throughout the regions of 
earthly existence ; and this not only because, in this 
way, drunkards are constantly being sent there by 
us, but also because the fallen ones already there 
are thus often kept in slavery to the old evil winch 
was their earthly ruin. 



162 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

Much earnest zeal was manifested in this direction 
by the controlling intelligence ; and, in closing, we 
were told that a renewed and powerful effort would 
soon be made from the higher life to put a stop to 
these evils. 

THE HOLIDAY SEASON: HOW IT AFFECTS HOMES 
EST THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 

Dec. 26, 1876. — " The clouds part; a way is open- 
ing. ... I now find myself at the summit of an ele- 
vation in the spirit-world. Before me is a deep 
chasm, spanned by an arch over which I am to pass. 
Now I am on the other side, and begin to ascend a 
slope. Just before me is a spirit sister who acts as 
my guide. At length we are upon another summit ; 
and so lofty and unstable does it seem to me, that I 
tremble with apprehension. The sister clasps both 
my hands to re-assure me, and tells me that what 
now supports us is, to the forms which we "now wear, 
as real and firm as are the mountains of earth. I am 
soon able to feel that this is so, and turn my atten- 
tion to the special object of my visit. 

" It is a large gathering, or settlement, of harmoni- 
ous friends, the form of which is that of an amphi- 
theater. At the present time there seems to be a 
special subject of interest among this people : it is 
the knowledge that now is the holiday season upon 
earth, when families are wont to assemble at the old 
homes ; and the special interest of those before me is 
to know whether they will be remembered at these 
family re-unions. A yearning desire sent forth from 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 163 

their friends upon earth is sure to reach them : so 
they now wait with eager hope and expectation ; and, 
when such a strong desire does come up to any of 
these waiting spirit friends, a thrill of joy goes 
through the sympathetic circle. 

" They have also on one side of the amphitheater, 
what to them answers the purpose of a telescope, 
through which they are able to search out the old 
homes, and catch glimpses of what may be going on 
in them. Toward this point of observation, there is a 
pressing forward from all parts of the amphitheater. 

" The first whom I am called upon especially to 
observe is one in the deepest habiliments of grief, 
who has hardly strength to support herself as she 
comes forward to see if she can be permitted to look 
once more into the home she has recently left, whose 
inmates are also bowed down with the deepest grief. 
She is helped forward by a sympathizing friend, but 
whose sympathy is mingled with wonder at the 
extreme weakness and want of faith in the one he 
is helping. At length she succeeds in catching a 
glimpse of the darkened home : it is too much for 
her, and she sinks down in a swoon, or fainting-fit. 

" Now comes another forward, — a beautiful and 
joyous young woman. She also succeeds in her 
effort. The old and happy home is open once more 
to her view, and she claps her hands with joy at the 
sight. Some one asks her if she would like to go 
back and stay there. ' Oh, no, no ! ' she replies, 
4 but I do so wish that the friends there could know 
how happy I am here ! then I should be satisfied.' 



164 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" Others follow to improve this opening toward 
the earth-life. But it is only to view from a dis- 
tance, or at best to get some direct intelligence 
from their friends, that the inhabitants of this locality 
look earth-ward. These do not seem to think of actu- 
ally returning to be once more near to the loved ones 
of earth. They feel rather like friends on the opposite 
sides of an ocean, who only look for an occasional 
letter from the distant ones. So it appears that 
there are those in the spirit, as well as the earth-life, 
who have no faith in the possibility of returning into 
intimate communion with friends still in the earthly 
conditions. 

" I now turn to a group on my left, who do not 
seem to belong to this locality, but have been im- 
pelled to visit here for some special purpose. They 
are of those, who, from certain unpropitious condi- 
tions, have lived, while on earth, without the unfold- 
ing of their affectional life; and hence, when they 
entered upon their present condition, they had no 
especially dear ones to welcome and cherish them. 
One of these is a woman, upon whose earthly experi- 
ence, it is perceived, only one bright but transitory 
ray of the sunlight of love had been permitted to 
fall ; and, although this was but a single flash of 
affectional joy upon her pathway, yet it is easy to 
see that this one experience has left a softening influ- 
ence upon her spirit, which now gives it a striking 
and happy contrast to those who have had no experi- 
ence whatever of the kind. 

" But I am given to understand that the propor- 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 165 

tion of these absolutely loveless ones is very small 
indeed, and that when compared even with the most 
unfortunate instances of the opposite class the loss 
is great indeed; as a concentrated love upon some 
individual is the natural if not necessary forerunner 
of a large and disinterested love of the many. And 
it now appears that it is to arouse the dormant affec- 
tional germ in these loveless ones, that they are thus 
brought into close relations with the happy home- 
life which generally prevails in this locality. The 
good effect is already visible, as some are even now 
seeking to attach themselves to an object of a per- 
sonal love, if it be only a child. 

"Another group I see, also visitors for a special 
purpose to this locality. Fathers are they, for the 
most part, who have recently left earthly homes, the 
children of which they did not know how to rightly 
appreciate till now they are severed from them. 
Most anxious are they to avail themselves of the 
opportunity here afforded, to look once more into 
those homes. They are affected even unto tears ; 
but the sorrow is not all for the present separation : 
it is also, and largely, from the clear sight which is 
now theirs, of the vitiated and diseased lives which 
they led upon earth ; the penalty of which is being 
visited upon the children they have left behind. A 
work have they now to do, to help counteract the 
evils thus inflicted; and wise instruction is here 
being given them as to how the work is to be done. 

" I now visit another part of these secluded home- 
groups in the spirit-world; and here I learn still 



166 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

more clearly, that these groups are made up of 
those who have no disposition to roam from their 
present position, either to revisit the abodes of earth, 
or to ascend into the higher regions of the spirit-life. 
This is by no means the most promising condition to 
be in, as it affords but a poor promise of advance- 
ment toward the higher spiritual states. Hence one 
is found here acting as a missionary, whose special 
object it is to incite in the people a wish to know 
more of what is beyond the horizon of their present 
locality. For a permanently fixed condition — men- 
tally or otherwise — is by no means in accordance 
with the wisdom of the higher spiritual spheres. 

STILL LOWER PHASES OF SAVAGE LIFE. 

"I find myself compelled once more to pass 
through that rough and barren region I visited but 
a short time ago. I go on until I come upon a class 
of savages still more degraded than those before de- 
scribed. These appear to be of the lowest order of 
human intelligences, of whom there seems to be but 
very little hope. It is sad indeed to see in the 
human form so much of the grosser animal life, and 
so little of mind. 

" These savages are of some Indian race, but not 
of the American type. They have made no advance 
whatever in civilization, — not even to the extent of 
making weapons of any kind. They have been ac- 
customed to live upon roots and nuts, and such 
specimens of reptile life as they were able to capture 
without the use of artificial means. The atmosphere 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 167 

is so dark and chilly, that I suffer while I remain 
here, and am very anxious to get away. 

" But first I am to learn that even here there is 
some movement toward a more advanced condition. 
It is but a small thing that I now witness ; but it is, 
as it were, a divine prophecy of a higher life, even for 
these degraded ones. It is only this : One of them, 
impressed by the invisible help of an Indian spirit of 
a higher grade, is at work, trying to fashion for him- 
self a rude arrow. And this small beginning, it is 
given me to see, is the opening, — the very starting- 
point of a progressive life. 

" So it is seen that all, even the lowest, are here 
visited with some kind of helping influence, to lift 
them out of the unpropitious present, — slowly it 
may be, but surely, — into a better future in the 
spirit-life. 

AN AFRICAN GROUP, AND THEIR ANGEL TEACHER. 

" I now pass on into a somewhat more promising 
region, and here find a group of the native African 
race. These also are rude, but far more intelligent 
than the others. A large and muscular race are 
they ; and their favorite employment is the trial of 
their strength and skill in personal encounters with 
rude but effective weapons. There are two now be- 
fore me thus engaged ; and, with their powerful 
blows, they seem to cleave each other almost en- 
tirely asunder. But, strange to behold, the wounds 
thus made seem to be immediately closed again! 
This they regard as rare sport, although there is evi- 



168 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

dently a shock of pain accompanying the fierce 
blows. Yet as there is no killing, or permanent 
maiming, they can seemingly go on indefinitely with 
their rough sport. 

" But now something else attracts their attention, 
and causes them to cease their encounters. A most 
beautiful angelic being from the higher conditions of 
spirit-life descends to do the work of humanizing 
these rough and degraded ones. It is a womanly 
form of exceeding purity and loveliness, that I now 
see ; and her design seems to be to reach directly the 
germs of a finer humanity which are enshrined even 
in these undeveloped specimens of the race. An an- 
gelic missionary indeed is this lovely being. A soft 
ray of light envelops her ; her robes are of the most 
delicate material; whilst her extended arms are 
rounded to the most perfect models of angelic grace- 
fulness; and, withal, she is endowed with the un- 
usual power of approaching directly £in.d-nea?'ly those 
so very far beneath her in their actual life. Such a 
contrast between her and the ones she has come to 
visit ! They are struck with wonder and admiration 
at the sight. 

"At length one of them ventures to reach forth, 
and cautiously touch one of those beautiful arms ; 
then another even clasps them, hesitatingly and 
lightly. The angelic one does not shrink from, but 
smiles upon, them ; for she is herself the embodiment 
of love, and she remembers the work of love she has 
before her. The light of her smile has already 
touched the germ of a finer life in these rude Afri- 



LIGHTS AND SHADES OF SPIRIT-LIFE. 169 

cans ; and they are now ready to listen to her words 
of appeal and instrnction. She speaks to them in 
her gentle and winning way, of the roughness of 
their mode of life ; and asks them if they could not 
choose rather, something more refined and elevat- 
ing. 

u She now holds out to one of them a delicate 
rose, pointing out to him the exceeding fineness and 
beauty of its make ; and asks if he would not like to 
grow more toward such a refinement of being, in- 
stead of remaining in the coarseness of their present 
life. 

" To this all seem to reply that if they could only 
become more like her, and be able to do a similar 
beautiful work for others, they should like to change 
their mode of life. She tells them that they all 
have within them the germs of a similar life; and 
that, if they do but sincerely desire and labor to be 
fitted for such a work of beneficence and love, it 
will surely be theirs in the end. 

"And now, in response to the newly-awakened 
desire for progress, she directs their attention to the 
natural action of the law of growth as it is in the 
spirit-life. First they are directed to look upward 
to a group, who, in the progressive life, are consider- 
ably above their own condition. As they thus look 
upward toward this group of farther advanced spirits, 
the desire is aroused within, to be themselves upon 
the same plane of a higher life; and, in response 
to the going forth of this desire, sympathizing help- 
ers from the higher group come forth to meet and to 



170 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

lift these of the lower condition up to the same level 
with themselves. 

"And so, from one condition to another, — ever 
still farther onward, — their course is to be contin- 
ued in the endless career of spiritual advancement." 



CHAPTER X. 

SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. — ELECTRIC WATERS AND 
THEIR USES. 

Jan. 22, 1877. — After considerable delay from 
causes which I will not stop to explain, we have this 
evening had another successful seance, substantially 
as follows : — 

" I stand beside a clear and rapidly flowing stream. 
Around and passing and repassing through it are 
many spirit-forms, mostly still unsupplied with the 
usual clothing of this life. These seem to be in a 
feeble and but partially revived condition ; and the 
passing through this stream, which I now perceive to 
be of an electric character, tends toward giving them 
the strength which they need. And, as this increased 
strength becomes theirs, the power to assume the nat- 
ural spirit-clothing is manifested in each individual. 
And those who are thus even partially clothed are 
seen extending help to those in an unclothed and 
feebler condition. 

" I think that these are of a class who, on leaving 
the earthly body, from a certain combination of con- 
ditions of rare occurrence, were without any espe- 
cially prepared friends to meet them on the spirit 

171 



172 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

side ; and are therefore taken to this general helping 
arrangement, it being of the nature of a public bene- 
faction. 

" And now at length, having received the benefit 
of the electric waters, they begin to ascend a slope 
on the other side, the feebler still leaning somewhat 
upon the stronger for support. I myself ascend with 
them ; and, as we move along among the widely 
branching trees through which our pathway leads, I 
am conscious of a specially bracing influence, also 
electric I think, which comes from the trees, and is 
infused into the surrounding atmosphere. 

" At length we arrive at the summit, where is a 
level space, with convenient places for rest. And 
now I am made conscious that all along there has 
been a band of wisely ordered helping spirits just 
above the company, who have been superintending 
both in the passing through the electric stream, and 
in ascending the slope. Four pairs are there of them, 
— eight in all ; and their kindly and helping care it 
is cheering to behold. 

" From the summit of the hill where we are rest- 
ing, I see in the distance a vast ocean-like expanse of 
snow-white water. In this, struggling in the rolling 
waves, and almost sinking at times, is another class 
of spirits, who stand in need of a somewhat different 
treatment from the first described. These are in an 
extremely lymphatic and inactive condition ; so much 
so, that they have scarcely any disposition to help 
themselves. Hence they need a compelling power in 
that direction ; and are therefore thrown into these 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 173 

deep and surging waters, where, as it seems to them- 
selves, their very existence depends upon efforts of 
their own, and of a decidedly earnest, almost a des- 
perate character. 

" And yet, as to the reality of the case, it is not as 
it seems to them ; for to my right there is a clearly 
defined connecting link, with a sustaining power 
above, which renders their actual condition one of 
perfect safety. So it appears that this also is a wise 
and beneficent arrangement, specially fitted to arouse 
to a needed activity those in conditions of extreme 
and long-continued indolence and torpidity of life. 
For without some such shock of necessity, as it were, 
the very starting-point of an active and upward 
career would be wanting, and these souls would re- 
main in a fixed condition of sluggish indolence, 
utterly fatal to a true and progressive life. 

" The company are now leaving the resting-place 
on the hill ; and, as they pass onward, to many of 
them there seems to be directly in their pathway 
something like an opening chasm, the earth-like sub- 
stance upon which they move being to all appearance 
rapidly falling away from beneath them; and they 
are seen to waver with fear,- the weaker clinging to 
the more stable ones for support. But, seeing that 
no actual evil result follows, they all gradually regain 
their confidence ; and, as they do so, the ground upon 
which they were resting is restored to its former sta- 
ble conditiom This is a lesson of a subjective char- 
acter, teaching the importance of an abiding trust in 
the powers above us. 



174 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 



THE ABODES OF JUSTICE AND OF LOVE VISITED. 

" I now leave the others, and pass on by myself 
into a gracefully growing forest, the branches of 
which are so blended and interlocked that they form 
a perpetual succession of archways. Through one of 
these, at the end of which I discern an encouraging 
light, I am moving forward, a perpetual shower of 
the most rich and fragrant flowers falling upon and 
enveloping me at every step. And these flowers 
seem to be endowed with intelligent life ; for they 
linger over and around me, with something wonder- 
fully like conscious caresses. 

" But this, though extremely pleasant and sooth- 
ing, does not satisfy. It is true that I love flowers 
of all kinds, and more still those who thus seem to 
love me ; but yet more ardently, as I trust, do I love 
the higher truth and wisdom, rich lessons of which I 
feel are now before me. 

" With the prayerful wish thus uttered, I seem to 
glide rapidly on without the use of my limbs, or 
effort of any kind, until I reach the light at the end 
of the archway. Here I find a pagoda-like cottage, 
with roof and turrets pointing significantly upwards. 
In front is a pair of scales, intimating to my percep- 
tions that this is the abode of justice. I desire ear- 
nestly to see the personification of justice, who, as 
I am thus impressed, is the occupant of this cottage. 
In response to my mental call, a noble-looking per- 
sonage comes forth and salutes me. His appear- 
ance is that of one considerably past the meridian of 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 175 

mortal life. His head is bald, and of a form indicat- 
ing the especial rnle of firmness and active energy ; 
also of a love of home-life. The impression comes 
to me, that this must be the one known as Benjamin 
Rush in the earthly life." 

Here followed a long conversational discourse with 
the seer, in which the representative of justice spoke 
with special earnestness of the necessity of vigorous, 
energetic, and even forcible action in the field of 
earthly reforms. Especially did he urge this effort 
of force in suppressing the ruinous traffic in intoxi- 
cating drinks. 

But I am unable to give even an outline of this 
presentation of what, as subsequently appeared, was 
intended simply as the positive side of reform action. 
The complement of this was immediately given as 
follows : — 

" I now pass on to the left, and soon come to a 
habitation of quite a different character, its roof 
being bower-like in form, whilst all its features are 
of a similarly well-rounded and harmonious shape. 
Roses and bright flowering vines of all kinds inter- 
twine themselves throughout this lovely structure. 
It is the home of those who believe in the law of love 
as the all-prevailing power of reform. 

" And yet it is admitted even here, that the law 
of force has an important place in human action of 
the kind. And hence this position is by no means 
to be regarded as one of opposition to the methods 
of the stern advocate of justice whose home I have 
just visited. The power of force and the persuasion 



176 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

of love should both be used to reclaim the wayward. 
But generally, in cases of the extremely hardened, 
these should come in the order of my visits to the 
two homes : the healing power of love should follow 
closely in the wake of the stern force of justice, to 
bind up, to heal and fully restore, that which the 
strong hand of power had at first laid hold upon with 
relentless grasp." 

TWO SISTERS, AND THEIR BEAUTIFUL WORK. 

A very pleasant expression is upon the face of the 
seer as she says, — 

" I can not go away from here, it is so attractive 
and beautiful. Flowers there are innumerable, of 
every hue, and of the most delicate shades ; and 
every leaf of the trees, and the foliage of the shrubs, 
is tinged with the hue of the softest and loveliest 
light. The atmosphere also is of a soft and balmy 
fragrance, grateful indeed to my senses. . 

" But at length I become reconciled to take only 
what naturally belongs to me, and to pass on to other 
scenes and to a higher work. 

"Terraced steeps are now before me, — the same 
soft and lovely tints pervading all. I go forward 
and upward until at length I seem to step off upon 
a floating cloud, also of lovely tinted colors. To 
my feet these seem to be so firm, that I move over 
them with the same confidence that is with me when 
walking upon the earth. 

" And now, just before me, I see for the first time 
— although I am made conscious that she has really 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 177 

been with me all the while — a dear, womanly spirit, 
having by each hand a young child. She has, as it 
now appears, been on an earthly mission ; and, in 
returning, has kindly taken me under her guidance. 
She glides on before me until we come to the bor- 
ders of a fleecy cloud. Here a spirit-sister from the 
higher spheres comes to meet the returning one, 
who has, for a special purpose, been to visit the old 
earthly home. As she advances, a scroll is held up 
by her, intended especially for the sister ; but I am 
permitted to read it. The words are, ' I have suc- 
ceeded in planting a ray of light in our old and sad- 
dened home, that will be sure to light our aged 
father cheerfully through the darkness before him.' 
These words are read by me, but by the spirit-sister 
the sense is received by intuitive perception. The 
two sisters are moved to sympathetic tears ; but 
every tear seems to have a smile of joy upon it. 

" I now perceive that the one from the higher con- 
ditions is so constructed as to the organization of 
her spirit-body, that it is not possible for her to visit 
the earth directly and personally ; but that the other 
is especially fitted for this kind of effort. And this 
difference is not so much from a superior spiritual 
elevation of the one over the other, as it is from an 
intrinsic difference in their spirit-organizations. The 
nature and cause of this difference I am now about 
to be shown more clearly; as I am to follow the 
more ethereal of these sisters to her home, that I 
may learn more of the peculiarities of the class to 
which she belongs. 



178 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

" As I enter this group or sphere of the spirit-life, 
I am impressed at once with the prevalence of a 
very marked difference between its inhabitants and 
others of the same degree of maturity. Grown-up 
children indeed are these, to all appearance. They 
have all the purity, the simplicity, and innocence of 
early childhood, and yet with a growth of refine- 
ment and intelligence which belongs only to those 
of an advanced degree of progress. Their employ- 
ments are of a peculiarly refined character, so much 
so that it is impossible for me fully to understand, 
still less to clearly describe them in our imperfect 
words. But the case is seemingly somewhat like 
this: they are weaving the fibres of high spiritual 
thought into shapes that can be sent downward 
toward the earth-sphere, receiving accretions by the 
way until they are fitted to be the especial aids of 
inspiration to mortals. 

" It is now made to appear to me, that this class 
of spiritual beings consists of those who were not 
only of premature birth into the earth-life, but were 
also, in their pre-natal growth, of an organization 
peculiarly refined and promising. Their care and 
education thus far have been wholly in the spirit- 
world ; but I am given to perceive they are yet to 
undergo a change that will fit them, in their turn, 
to visit the earth for a needed knowledge and expe- 
rience before the full perfection of human growth, as 
it is seen in the higher unfoldings of the spirit-life, 
can be attained by them. 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 179 



EXTREME EXALTATION. 

"Onward, still farther onward, I now go, until 
far beyond the home of these innocent ones ; higher 
and still higher I am rising, until I find myself in a 
region entirely beyond any I have hitherto visited. 
It is a condition so elevated and rarefied, that I am 
unable to keep my balance. I can not remain here : 
I must return to the atmosphere of earth ; and yet 
I am impressed, that, as a first experiment, my visit 
has been a successful one ; and that I shall yet be 
able to become sufficiently at home in this exalta- 
tion, to gain somewhat of its higher truths for the 
advancement of our work." 

A PERSONAL MESSAGE OF WISE IMPORT. 

The following message came to me soon after the 
close of the above vision. I insert it here, notwith- 
standing its personal character, under the impression 
that it may be of use to others, as it certainly has 
been to me. It should be premised, however, that 
the immediate cause of its being to me was, that for 
some time previous I had seemingly been very much 
isolated from a conscious nearness of those whose 
presence was especially valued by me; and that I 
had suffered much from sadness in consequence. 

The message claims to be from the higher wisdom 
of my spirit-helpers, but conveyed to me personally 
through my nearest guardian and loved one. It is 
as follows : — 

" We, your special loved ones, are not away from 



180 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

you, as you seem to think. We are only — for wise 
and important reasons — out of your special sphere 
of consciousness for a time. It is to teach you more 
fully self-reliance, — the power of your own will to 
work out for yourself high results. 

" You should learn to stand nobly up, both in 
body and spirit, and breathe in deeply of the inspira- 
tions of a healthy and positive energy. 

" Then, when your own powers are fully expanded, 
the helps of the higher life will amply brace you up 
to whatever work you may find it in your way to do. 
In other words, the lesson is, to be positive to all the 
natural obstacles and discordances of the external 
world ; and negative, or quietly receptive, to the 
unseen influences that may flow down to you in re- 
sponse to the earnest aspirations of your inner being. 

" The central thought is, that help comes to those 
who first help themselves. Hence, if you would en- 
joy most fully the sympathy and aid of' the higher 
conditions, you must aim to grow up to them, rather 
than expect that they will descend toward you. 

" It is true, that, as a needed self-protection, a good 
degree of retirement and isolation may still be rightly 
yours for a season ; but this is only because a well- 
rounded and perfectly harmonious development is a 
thing of the future rather than of the present ; and 
if you would learn to grow wisely, and with acceler- 
ated steps, learn to lean as little as possible upon 
any thing but your own will-force, aided and inspired, 
as it will then surely be, by the superior helps that 
will spontaneously come to you." 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 181 

A RAINBOW OF ANGELS' SMILES. 

" A most beautiful and cheering vision is given to 
me personally," said the seer. "A rainbow of the 
evening of my life's labors is before me, the colors of 
which seem to be composed of the smiles of angels. 
Many, many tears have fallen from the clouds that 
have gone before this rainbow ; but I can now see 
that all is right, and I would not have it otherwise 
than it has been. I have thus learned better how to 
pity other suffering ones ; and also rightly to enjoy 
the brightness when it does come to me, even as 
now. But there is a vision of instruction prepared 
for me to impart, and I must now turn my attention 
to that. 

AN INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER : HOW PREPARED. 

" There is now before me a child of about six years 
of age, — one who seems to be under the special care 
and influence of a wise spirit band. Electric cords 
of light extend from the child's brain upward into 
the higher regions of the spirit-life. There are many 
of these, — one, I think, for each organ of the brain ; 
and each of these chords seems to be in the care 
of some individual member of the band. In this 
way, the faculties and tendencies of the subject are 
wisely checked and balanced for future inspirational 
use. 

" As this child increases in years, he is kept mentally 
in a restrained, inactive condition, so that the friends 
know not rightly how to understand him. If books 
are placed before him, the boy does not seem at all 



182 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

to study them ; and yet he often grasps the entire 
meaning at one glance of his intuitive perceptions. 

" Several years pass on in this way until, as I now 
see him, he is at about the age of fourteen or fifteen, 
and is nearly fitted for his special work as a public 
speaker under spirit control. But there is still wanted 
a voice more full and well-rounded in power. So the 
training-force is now brought to bear upon the organs 
of speech ; and impulsively, without his own conscious 
effort, various sounds — some like the different key- 
notes of the human voice, and some like the sounds 
uttered by animals — are forced through the vocal 
organs of the subject. And now, at about the age 
of sixteen, he seems fitted for his work, and goes 
forth, passing out of the scope of my vision. 

" The scene changes. A broad platform, consider- 
ably elevated above the heads of the people, is before 
me. On this are many noble ones who through ear- 
nest and faithful self-discipline have reached a position 
fitting them to be eminent advocates of the advanced 
truths of the age. With these there is no marring 
of the beauty and force of their teachings by their 
own unworthy lives, as is seen sometimes to be the 
case. But full of a wise though humble spirit are 
these, and led on by an earnest zeal, knowing them- 
selves to be instruments of power indeed ; but pow- 
erful only because of the high wisdom of which they 
are the conscious recipients. 

" And now these nobly inspired ones seem no longer 
to rest upon a platform, but to be borne upward, en- 
tirely free from material supports, by the invisible 
power which is with them. 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 183 

" In close connection with these who are still of 
the earthly life, I can see groups of noble reformers 
of the spirit-spheres. Some of these groups are formed 
around a central light, the rays of which are con- 
stantly passing to the different individuals of the 
group; and each of these groups is seen to have 
some special department of diseased human condi- 
tion in charge. Overgrown and morbid appetites 
are especially the objects of their labors. They seem 
to have the power to bring to bear upon such dis- 
eased or abnormal portions of the human brain, a 
kind of electric force which tends to tone down and 
keep under all undue action, and thus gradually to 
induce a much-needed harmony of the entire organ- 
ism. 

" Over and above all this especially organized work- 
ing effort, there presides something like a congress 
of the higher wisdom, whose guiding influence is felt 
throughout all the executive groups; and thus the 
great work is made to advance steadily and success- 
fully onward toward the desired end. 

THEEE REFORM GROUPS : A VISION. 

"A group of these reform-laborers in spirit-life 
now approaches and lingers over the central portion 
of our city. They are mostly of the gentler sex ; and 
they have instruments of music in their hands, with 
the harmonies of which they are hoping to soothe 
and heal the maladies of the people. 

" But just above this group I see another of a very 
different description, the members of which seem to 



184 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

look down upon the efforts of the others kindly but 
incredulously. From this upper group, strong and 
determined arms of force are stretched forth, whilst 
a voice seems to say, — 

" 4 The efforts of our sisters are very well in their 
place ; but here are evils that can not be charmed 
away with sweet sounds. A strong arm of power 
must be revealed, to draw men out of the slough 
of sense and sensuality in which they are rolling. 
Let them first be made to stand upon the rock of 
common honesty and integrity, and let the filth of 
their former doings be washed away from them : then 
it may be well for the sweet harmonies of peace and 
love to be visited upon them.' 

" But still higher, above the positions of these two 
groups, appears another whose more exalted wisdom 
seems, to harmonize the divergent tendencies of the 
others. The chords which come from this group 
seem to have a direct bearing upon the condition of 
Spiritualism as it is now found in our midst. I can 
not repeat in full, the exact language employed ; but 
the substance is as follows : — 

" ' It is true that mild and quieting measures have 
an important use, and that not even one strain of 
sweetness and harmony can ever be lost, as to the 
well-being of humanity. But a deeper and far more 
thorough work must be done before a substantial re- 
form, personal or social, can be established. Words 
of truth and power, leading to the very foundations 
of character, must be spoken, and lessons of terrible 
rebuke be given, before the harmonies of peace and 



SYMBOLIC TEACHINGS. 185 

love can be rightly appropriated. The talk of the 
beauty and joy of the angel world is well, when 
rightly applied. But these are not, can not be, for 
any but those in whom the seeds of such beauty and 
joy are already unfolding to greet the pure spiritual 
light of the higher Beyond. 

" ' A mist of ignorance still lingers largely even over 
Spiritualists, which must be scattered before the 
power of the new faith shall be rightly felt in the 
personal life : it is the want of a right understanding 
or a due appreciation of the unerring force of the law 
of retribution, which, commencing its action in the 
earthly, extends it with increasing emphasis into the 
spirit-life, where it will not stay its progress until 
the dross of character is consumed, and the inward 
life is made brightly to harmonize with the higher 
angel-life. 

" ' And in this process of purification and growth, 
the positive individual will must have much to do. 
For elevated and enduring excellence is not to be 
attained without conscious and aspiring effort, in- 
spired as such must ever be, with all needful help 
from above. Difficulty, struggle, progress, — this is 
the divine order of spiritual growth, which can not 
be reversed or evaded ; and those who expect easily, 
even passively, to float into the kingdom, mainly on 
the current of outward circumstance, will there, if not 
here, find out their mistake ; and then the foundations, 
instead of the superstructure of a true character, will 
be the first work laboriously in hand. 

" ' And this eternal law of retribution is just and 



186 VISIONS OF THE BEYOND. 

wise, and merciful even, in all its ways, since it is the 
wisely appointed means for a deliverance into the con- 
ditions of true peace and rejoicing. For, in the very 
nature of things, there can be no throb of exalted 
joy in store for any, until it shall be rightly inherited 
through positive and aspiring effort ; nor can there 
be a single act of baseness, of selfishness, or wrong 
of any kind, which must not first receive its natural 
and deep-searching penalty, before the sigh of regret 
can be exchanged for the inward joy of honest self- 
approval.' " 

The above report very imperfectly represents the 
entire occasion especially as to the language actually 
used. I am confident, however, that I have preserved 
the true tone and sentiment of what was thus given 
us. The seance, as a whole, was especially impressive, 
there being an unusual degree of elevated earnestness 
manifested throughout. 

This proved to be the conclusion of our special 
work for the present. But it was intimated by the 
controlling intelligence r that a still more important 
effort awaited us, should the events of the future 
prove propitious. 

As to the material already accumulated, it was 
intrusted to my care with the expressed desire that 
I should make a wise use of it for the public good, a 
purpose which I have thus endeavored faithfully to 
accomplish. 



LIBRARY 



CONGRESS 



